8-76: The Feasting Hall
This enormous cave is referred to as the Feasting Hall to those
few who know of its existence. It is the site of an interdimensional
singularity, whereby the abyssal plane on which Rimmaq-Isfet
continuously writhes comes into direct contact with the Prime
Material plane.
The cave is very old, with rough walls covered with an oily
sheen, and a flat, sanded floor. The ceiling is 30’ tall. Two ledges are
built into the east wall; one features a cistern with clear water, while
the other holds a large pile of bones. To the south are five pedestals:
the central one is home to a 10’-tall demonic sounding horn, while
the four surrounding ones hold tubular gongs of various sizes. To
the west is a 10’-tall stone ledge running alongside the wall; this
is the point where cultists are able to directly contact Rimmaq
Isfet. The center of the chamber holds three stone tables with heavy
stone benches.
Fifteen filthy, long-haired, wild-eyed humans and humanoids
are seated at the tables, ravenously devouring thick, juicy steaks.
They wear scraps of clothing and boast long, greasy, untended hair.
Their bodies are lean, but well-muscled, and their eyes are bright
and inquisitive. They greet visitors cheerfully, inviting them in
Archontean to join the feast. If questioned, they are unable to recall
their own names, or the circumstances of their presence here.
Niches on the Eastern Wall: The northern niche has a 5’-tall retain
ing wall between it and the rest of the cave. The wall forms a kind
of cistern, with water dripping from the walls and ceiling collecting
here. Two copper dippers sit atop the retaining wall, and a 12’-tall
rickety ladder leans against the wall, allowing access to the cistern
from the cavern floor. At the bottom of the cistern is a limed-over
skeleton of a human with a stone of passage (see new magic
items) resting amid the bones; only by swimming in the pool will
this item be found.
The southern niche is filled with whitened bones. All are
human or humanoid, the remains of previous generations of chao
tic feasters. Close inspection of the remains shows that no skulls
are present and that many of the long bones have been gnawed.
Beneath the bones are the plinth and shattered remains of a heqeti
era statue; the statue depicted a crouching heqeti hopper, but only
the head is recognizable.
Lesser Pedestals: Tubular Bells: Five pedestals dominate the south
ern approaches of the cave. Copper tubular bells hang from aged
iron racks on the four lesser pedestals. Each bell is artfully etched,
albeit with unsettling images and strange glyphs. The glyphs are
in an obscure abyssal tongue; in most circumstances, the services
of a sage will be necessary to decode them. A wooden mallet is
attached to each rack with an ancient, cracked leather cord.
Striking a bell with its mallet produces a deep, echoing tone. The
tubular bells vary as follows, from the northeast pedestal clockwise
to the northwest pedestal:
[table snipped]
The bells could be detached from their mounts and sold to
collectors of antiquities and exotica: Tairon would bring 1,000 gp,
Peqar 2,000 gp, Ivlik 4,000 gp, and Ristik 8,000 gp. The two larger
bells are quite heavy and bulky.
Central Pedestal: the Demonic Sounding Horn: The central ped
estal, around which the lesser pedestals of the bells are arranged,
contains a huge, spiral horn that rises 10’ above the floor of the
pedestal. The horn is supported by three copper rods thrust into
the corners of the pedestal. It is possible for a man-sized creature to
stand in the center of the pedestal, partly surrounded by the coils
of the horn, and sound it. The horn is carved with blasphemous
images of a large, slug-like creatures feeding continuously on
bipedal creatures; the creature is surrounded by salamander
seeming creatures with sharp teeth. A set of glyphs near the mouth
of the horn reads (to those able to read abyssal tongues): “Lord
Rimmaq-Isfet and his spawn feed on the sacrifices. Summon him
at your peril!”
The horn is quite dangerous if used carelessly. Sounding it
while the tubular bells are still ringing (see below) produces a
potent blast of cacophony that serves to open the rift to the abyss,
where Rimmaq-Isfet writhes. Sounding it without first properly
ringing the bells, however, has a 50% chance to summon a worm
of Qok (see new monsters) at 8-75, and produces a chaotic effect
from the following table. If summoned, the worm of Qok arrives
here within 5 rounds. An individual may only sound the horn once
per week. It has no uses outside this chamber (although it might
bring 3,500 gp).
[table snipped]
Accessing the Flank of Rimmaq-Isfet Proper manipulation of
the bells and the sounding horn opens a dimensional portal that
provides access to the flank of Rimmaq-Isfet. To open the portal,
one must first strike each of the tubular bells in turn, starting with C,
and proceeding through E, G, and B. While the tones of the tubular
bells are still ringing, one then sounds the enormous demonic
sounding horn. The combination of the tones is cacophonous,
and requires all within hearing to save vs. paralyzation or be
stunned for 1-2 rounds. The sounding horn echoes for a full turn,
during which time it is possible to harvest ‘meat’ from the flank of
Rimmaq-Isfet.
The Flank of Rimmaq-Isfet: Access to the flank of Rimmaq-Isfet
is obtained from the platform that runs across the western side
of the cavern. When the tubular bells and sounding horn have
been properly employed, anyone standing on the platform will feel
a light breeze emanating from the wall, bringing with it an array
of strong, and mostly unpleasant odors: burnt sugar, ammonia,
spoiled eggs, and so forth. A 10’x5’ rectangle of the wall will be
seen to ripple gently with motion, and it will be apparent that the
section of wall is no longer stone, but rather a mottled grey-green
hide. For the turn that the sounding horn echoes, it is possible to
carve pieces of this flank as one might a piece of beef. Two 3’-long,
curved copper daggers rest on the platform; the chaotic feasters
use the daggers to carve meat from Rimmaq-Isfet.
The meat of Rimmaq-Isfet is nutritious and tasty, but
consuming it is risky. For each serving consumed, there is a 5%
cumulative chance of the diner turning into a chaotic feaster; this
chance is modified by +25% for those of chaotic evil alignment and
+15% for those of chaotic (but not evil) alignments.
Effects on Rimmaq-Isfet: As Rimmaq-Isfet is an extremely po
werful greater deity, one with regenerative powers, it is able to
absorb the carving of meat from its flank without truly noticing
such actions. Clever PCs might realize, however, that it would be
possible to inflict greater harm on Rimmaq-Isfet through the open
dimensional portal. Simply hacking at its flesh is easy enough;
should 50 HP damage be inflicted in this way, Rimmaq-Isfet will
notice and move away from the portal. The portal stays open, and
foolish PCs could enter the abyss through it if so desired. It is also
possible to poison, and hence weaken, Rimmaq-Isfet through the
portal. The GM should determine the composition of a suitable
‘poison’; one possibility might be ten flasks of holy water, mixed
with 2 oz of unicorn hairs and a pair of brownie eyes. The benefit
to PCs of weakening Rimmaq-Isfet through poison will be felt if
the PCs confront the heqeti on Level 10 (see level introduction for
Level 10).
The Chaotic Feasters: An elaborate set of entirely false beliefs has
grown up among the society of the feasters, one that seeks to explain
in limited ways the situation in which they find themselves. What
is most surprising is the fact that the feasters do not realize they
are consuming the flesh of a greater god of intense chaotic evil,
but instead have come to attribute their bounty to the existence
of a vast planar creature they call the throom. The throom, they
think, may be singular, or there may be ‘herds’ of them moving
through interdimensional space; either way, the throom are so
vast and placid that careful harvesting of the throom flesh goes
largely unnoticed. It is the good fortune of the feasters, they think,
to have located a nexus point where they can harvest the throom’s
flesh. Beyond their rituals with the throom, the feasters have
been known to engage in cannibalism to supplement the regular
harvesting of the throom; this is particular true for feasters who
have grown old, sick, and/or feeble, but might also apply to nosy
visitors. The feasters refer to the western platform as the ‘throom
Platform’, and the copper knives as ‘throom knives’, and their meat
as ‘throom steaks’.
The feasters are welcoming, if slightly suspicious, of newcomers.
They invite PCs to share in the throom-bounty, and may (33%)
grow enraged if their offer is rejected. If visitors are cautious and
respectful, it is possible to inspect the cavern without provoking
the feasters. Should PCs seek to remove items (including the bells,
the ‘throom-knives’, or anything else), the feasters immediately
attack. Should careless PCs sound the demonic sounding horn
without following the correct procedure with the bells, the feasters
turn sullen and uncommunicative; after 4 rounds they attack.
Finally, if PCs question the feasters too aggressively about their
past lives or the meaning of this cavern, they will also grow sullen
and uncommunicative and will attack within a turn.
Inhabitants:
1. The alpha chaotic feaster: SZ M; AL CE; AC 3; MV 90’; HD
8; HP 57; #AT 3; Dmg 3-14/2-5/1-3; MR 10%. Special attacks:
flying feet (an additional attack sequence doing 2-5 damage),
extra-crazy (additional attack sequence doing 1-3 damage with
chance for disease). Special defenses: magic immunity, immune
to fire.
2. 14 chaotic feasters: SZ M; AL CE; AC 10 or 6; MV 90’; HD 4;
HP 30(x3), 29(x3), 25 (x5), 21(x3); #AT 1; Dmg 3-10; MR 10%.
Of the fourteen, five have nails of iron (2-9 plus 1-3 bleeding for
3 rounds) and tough skin (AC 4); three have corpse breath (foes
save vs poison or spend 2 round retching) and immunity to fire;
two have flying feet (an additional attack sequence doing 2-5
damage) and immunity to cold; two have extra crazy (additional
attack sequence doing 1-3 damage with chance for disease) and
magic immunity (to 1st-level spells); one has mesmerizing eyes
(foe saves vs petrification or be charmed) and tough skin (AC 4);
and one has extra crazy (see above) and immunity to fire.
3. 1 worm of Qok (see new monsters): see stats at 8-75 (50%
chance to arrive 5 rounds after the horn is sounded).
Treasure:
A pair of boxes under one of the tables contains a mixture of
treasure: two 10-lb gold bars (500 gp each), 567 gp, 911 sp, a gold
brooch with a quartz starbust (1,150 gp), a fine-crystal ewer (150
gp), a set of five copper flasks inscribed with Archontean names
(40 gp each), a set of 3 platinum-tipped ivory rods, suitable for
using as reading aids (75 gp each), a tarnished silver censer with a
dose of incense of relaxation (see new magic items), a set of 12
arrows +2, an arrow of slaying devils, a military pick +4, a war
hammer +3, and a helm of brilliance.
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