ThearchlichcarriestheStaffoftheForgottenOne(see
appendixC)andisaccompaniedbyasphereofannihilation,
whichhecontrolsusingatalismanofthespherewornabout
hisneck.BecausetheTomboftheNineGodsisnotAcererak’s
home,hehasnoaccesstolairactionsduringthisbattle.
Acererakspeakstotheadventurersincondescending
tones,referringtothemas“punymortals”ashesetsoutto
destroythem.
WrathoftheTricksterGods.WhenAcererakappears,any
characterinhabitedbythespiritofatrickstergodhearsthat
spiritcryoutforvengeance.Inadditiontothepowergranted
byhisorhertrickstergod,thecharactergainsthefollowing
benefitswhileheorshecanseeAcererak:
Thecharactergains 50 temporaryhitpointsatthestart
ofeachofhisorherturns.
Whenthecharactermakesanattackrollagainst
Acererakandhits,theattackdealsanextra 3 d 6 psychic
damage.
Acererak’sDefeat
IfAcererakdropsbelow 100 hitpoints,hecaststeleportonhis
nextturnandflees.Ashedeparts,read:
“We’llmeetagain,fools!”saysthelich.“Andonthat
day,youwilldie!”Withthat,Acererakraiseshisstaff,
utterssomearcanesyllables,andisgone.
IfthecharacterssucceedinkillingAcererakbeforehehas
achancetoescape,read:
Alookofhorrorpassesoverthelich’sfaceashisbody
turnstodust.Histatteredrobesfalltotheground,as
dohisstaffandtalisman.Acererak’sbodyreformsnearhisphylactery,whichis
hiddeninsomefar-flungdemiplane,buthispossessionsare
leftbehindforthecharacterstopilfer.Thesphereof
annihilationremainsstationaryuntilsomeonetakescontrolof
itusingthetalisman.Becauseit’snotacreature,thesphereis
notteleportedifitentersthemistgate(see“MistGate”above).
78 .ChapelofHate....................................................................................................................................................................
Anycreaturethatpassesthroughthemistgateinarea 77
emergesfromasimilararchsetintothesouthwallofthis
room.Thegatealsoallowstravelbacktoarea 77.
Youstepoutofthemistintoanundergroundchapel
withblackbasaltpillarsandapolishedobsidianaltar.
Restingonthealtarisaleatherbagthesizeandshape
ofahumanbody,andwhichappearstohavebeensewn
shut.Beyondthealtar,aheavyblackdrapehangsfrom
anarchway.Eightemaciated,green-skinnedcreaturesareshackled
tothewallsofthechapel,eachonegazingtowardyou
withasinglebalefuleye.Themonstersbegintogibber
anddroolastheyshaketheirmanacles,eagertobeset
free.
Oncetheatropalhasfedonenoughsouls,Acererakplans
tobaptizeitinthebloodofaworthysacrifice.Thischapelwas
builtforthatdarkceremony.TheSewnSistersobtainedan
appropriatesacrificeandhavestitcheditinsidetheleather
bodybagthatrestsonthealtar.
AdvicefromtheSpirits
AnycharactersinhabitedbythespiritsofMoaorWongo
receiveadvicewhenenteringthisarea:
KindMoasuggestsfreeingtheshackledcreatures.
ViolentWongourgeshishosttostabthebodybag,
makingsurethatwhateverisinsideitisdead.BodyBag
Theleatherbodybagcanbecutopentorevealanunconscious
prisoner,whoseidentityisyourstodecide.ItmightbeArtus
Cimber,Dragonbait,VolothampGeddarm,orsomeotherNPC
thecharactersnevergotthechancetomeet.Itcouldalsobean
NPCwhobecameseparatedfromthepartyinthecourseofthe
adventure.
IfnosuitableNPCspringstomind,useacapturedmember
oftheOrderoftheGauntletnamedZalderFaelrond(LGmale
TethyrianhumanknightofTorm,withnoarmororweapons).
Zalder’sstoryisthathewaskidnappedbytheSewnSisters
whilepatrollingthejungle.Ifsetfree,herequestsanescort
backtoCampVengeance(seechapter 2 ).
Thenighthags’magickeepstheprisoneraliveand
unconscious.WithasuccessfulDC 17 Intelligence(Arcanaor
Religion)check,acharacterdeterminesthattheeffectcanbe
endedonlybysplashingtheprisonerwithholywater.DevoteesofAcererak
Thecreaturesshackledtothechapelwallsareeightnothics—
formerdisciplesofAcererakwholosttheirmindstryingto
learntheirmaster’sarcanesecrets.Thenothicsarerestrained
bytheshacklesandcan’tmakemeleeattacksuntiltheyareset
free.TheyspeakUndercommonanddemandtobereleased.
ThenighthagWidowGroat(seearea 71 )carriesthekeys
tothenothics’shackles,whichcanalsobepickedwitha
successfulDC 13 Dexteritycheckmadebyacharacterusing
thieves’tools,orsunderedwithagood,hardweaponstrike.
Ifthecharactersignorethenothics’demands,thespiteful
creaturesattackthemusingtheirhorridRottingGaze.Ifthe
charactersunshacklethem,thenothicsloiterinthechapeland
leavethepartyalone.Theyalsoprovidethefollowinghelpful
informationiftheirliberatorsquestionthem:
Ifthecharactersaresearchingforanexittothetomb,
onenothichopsovertotheblackcurtain,pullsitaside,
pointsdownthetunneltothenorth(area 79 ),and
shouts(inUndercommon),“Mindthebones!”
Ifthecharactersaresearchingfortreasure,another
nothicperformsthesameactionsasabove,exceptit
shouts,“Followthepurpletrail!”79 .HallofFinality...................................................................................................................................................................
Behindthecurtainisaten-foot-wide,forty-five-foot-long
hallwaysetwithfourdecorativearchwaysthathave
blankwallswithinthem.Threepathsmarkedoutinred,
gold,andpurpletilesnakealongthefloor,eachleading
tooneofthreearchways.Acharredskeletononthefloor
pointstothefourtharchway,whichhasnopathleading
toit.Asingletorchburnsinawallsconceatthefarendof
thehall.Mountedbelowitisabronzeplaquethatbears
awarninginCommon:“Beholdthefateofthosewho
defyme!”