[MENTION=6779310]aramis erak[/MENTION] Ah, so by "mission rooms" you mean the rooms that are central to the NPCs occupying the site, not "mission rooms" as in rooms with PC objectives. Gotcha.
[MENTION=6801286]Imaculata[/MENTION] Yeah, that's the next step! I've started with the outside/main entry areas...
0. The Caldera
Spanning some 4 miles across, the caldera’s ridge is just barely visible on clear days rising 2,500 feet above the desert’s floor. All that remains of a sunken volcano that ejected its magma core in ancient times, the caldera is as desolate as the surrounding desert. Rough terrain wrought with treacherous fissures, at night remnants of lava light patches of hydrogen sulfide vapors to create the “blue fire” for which Krak al-Mazhar is notorious among the jann.
Patrols of 2d6 mamluks of the Imperishable*, with 1d4+1 fire giant lizard (see p. #) or fire giant scorpion (see p. #) mounts, keep an eye out for intruders. The mamluks have two other important tasks. First, they watch over the slaves in the Sulfur Mines (area 24) to make sure they are worked to the bone. Second, the mamluks are tasked with repelling any “desert terror” bulettes (see p. #) that make it past the thunderstaves buried 3 feet beneath the caldera’s sands. These thunderstaves* emit low-frequency vibrations that confuse the bulettes’ tremorsense, causing the creatures to avoid coming too close to the Sulfur Mines (area 24) or Gate of Mysteries (area 9) unless food is extremely scarce.
The skies above the caldera are patrolled by 1d4+1 shadow wyverns (see p. #) at any given time, mounted by shig’harakhi* who keep a lookout for intruders, sandstorms, caravans to raid, and the foolish slave who tries to flee. Soaring in the skies above, these aerial patrols can see for 40 miles around the caldera.
Adjoining Areas. Gate of Mysteries (area 9), Sulfur Mines (area 24).
[SECTION]Variant Monsters: Desert Terrors
A fierce breed of bulette hunts the deserts surrounding Krak al-Mazhar, arcane creations of The Bonfire. Known as “desert terrors” by caravans, these Huge bulettes have 103 (9d12+45) hit points, and gain the Armored Hide, Relentless Charge, and Wounded Fury traits. Their CR increases to 8 (3,900 XP).
Armored Hide. The bulette is immune to ranged weapon attacks unless they deal 15 damage or more.
Relentless Charge (recharge 5-6). The bulette moves up to its speed, and makes a Bite attack against each creature it moves within 5 feet of. The target must succeed a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and pushed up to 10 feet out of the bulette’s space into an unoccupied space of the bulette’s choice. Opportunity attacks made against it during this movement have disadvantage.
Wounded Fury. While it has 25 hit points or less, the bulette has advantage on attack rolls. In addition it deals an extra 13 (2d12) damage to any target it hits with a melee attack.[/SECTION]
9. Gate of Mysteries
This massive red sandstone gate boasts a decorative pointed arch some 60 feet tall, while the actual entrance rises to a height of 15 feet. The gate is used by slaves working the sulfur mines, entry and exit for new initiates to the Brotherhood, for military drills, and for the very rare departing/incoming caravan.
Creatures entering the gate experience a disorienting optical illusion from the arches-within-arches; they must succeed a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw or be incapacitated (can’t take actions or reactions, but can still move) for the round while passing under the arch. Dwarves are immune to this optical illusion of the stonework.
Two maelephants* (Khamaraj and Virija) – large elephant-headed fiends – keep an eternal vigil over the gate, stopping anyone they don’t recognize or who can’t provide the countersign to the devils’ question: “Ash lies behind you. Know you what awaits beyond the threshold?” (Answer: “Blood and fire.”) The curmudgeonly maelephants were exiled from the Lower Planes for 1,001 years for dereliction of duty, and made a pact with The Bonfire’s predecessor to watch for intruders, especially the asuras Isheae and her allies. While they are competent guards, the maelephants prefer harassing slaves and fondly recalling their grisly battles in vivid detail.
Adjoining Areas. The Caldera (area 0), Mamluk Guardpost (area G1).
24. Sulfur Mines
Carved from the northeastern caldera ridge, tiered pits emitting caustic vapors hold the yellow mineral known to the Brotherhood’s slaves as “devil’s gold.” The Brotherhood uses the sulfur from the mines to create oil of liquid star* using a secret recipe kept in utmost confidence. When necessary to trade with merchants and sultans, the sulfur can be mixed into an acid, used to create matches, potent fertilizers and insecticides, and bleaching pure white sugar.
Roughly a quarter of the slaves kept at Krak al-Mazhar, about 60 able-bodied men and women, are forced to work the sulfur mines. Everyday they leave the Slave Quarters (area 20) while it’s still dark, armed only with torches, metal rockbars and picks, and veils that provide meager protection from the sulfurous fumes. By late morning, they bear baskets loaded with 150 pounds of sulfur back into Krak al-Mazhar for use in the Alchemy Lab (area 1). The slaves are tasked with indoors assignments during the midday heat before being sent back out at dusk to gather yet more sulfur, the hammering of their tools heard till the stars become visible.
While the mamluks patroling the Caldera (area 0) are responsible for the slaves, they reality is they only check in on the mines once a day, typically in the morning. The rest of the day, a group of 6 desert trolls (see p. #) subjugated by the Brotherhood act as watchers over the mines, preferring to remain hidden amidst the sandstone and volcanic rock until need (or opportunity) presents itself. For this reason, many of the slaves are terrified of speaking or acting out of line, for fear the al-qazm (as they call the trolls) will take notice. While the trolls mostly obey the Brotherhood’s commands, their ravenous hunger drives them to look for the slightest excuse to devour a disobedient slave.
Adjoining Areas. The Caldera (area 0).
[SECTION]Variant Monsters: Desert Trolls
The trolls of the Haunted Lands, known as al-qazm by the jann tribes, are adapted to desert conditions and prove exceptionally cunning at setting up ambushes. Such “desert trolls” can regenerate even fire damage; however acid damage or exposure to water prevents their regeneration. Additionally, they have Intelligence 9 (-1), and the Sand Camouflage and Water Susceptability traits.
Sand Camouflage. The troll has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in desert terrain.
Water Susceptibility. The troll takes damage from exposure to water. Every gallon a troll is exposed to deals 1d6 acid damage (i.e. create water would deal 10d6 acid damage, while a geyser from a decanter of endless water would deal 30d6 acid damage). Exposure to light rains deals 1d4 acid damage per round, while moderate to heavy rains deal 4d4 acid damage per round. A waterskin’s worth deals 1d4 acid damage, while a vial of holy water deals 2d6 acid damage.[/SECTION]
