Steamer. Water dripping from a crack in the ceiling
falls into a cylindrical metal contraption at the center
of the cave, and steam billows out of it.
Nagas. Unless they have been drawn elsewhere, two
spirit nagas named Excrutha and Serakath lounge on
the floor near the back of the cave (see "The Ssethian
Scourges," page 109).
Chest. A wooden chest stands against the east wall.
The nagas don't fear death, but they do fear the loss
or theft of their rod of rulership and will do everything
they can to safeguard it. A battle here attracts the thralls
from areas llb and !Sf, assuming they're still around.
While Agorra is under the effect of the rod of ru/er-
ship, she believes the nagas to be her allies and defends
them to the death. She carries the key to the manacles
in area 13.
The steamer consists of two iron chambers stacked
on top of each other. Magical fire burns in the bottom
chamber, heating water that pours into the top chamber
through the crack in the ceiling. Small holes in the sides
of the top chamber allow steam to vent into the cave,
keeping it warm and moist.
Treasure. One spirit naga has a rod of rulership
coiled in its tail at all times. The rod's magic has been
spent for the day and can't be called upon again until the
next dawn.
The chest is unlocked and contains SOO pp, 330 gp,
a silver necklace in the form of entwined serpents (2SO
gp), and a spell scroll of modify memory.15D. UNUSED LABORATORY
A wooden table covered with alchemist's supplies stands
against the north wall of this damp, IO-foot-high cave.l5E. SPRING
A steady stream of water pours out from a crack in the
wall of this alcove. The water fills up a natural stone
basin, which in turn overflows onto the muddy ground.
This spring provides clean water.15F. TROLL GUARD POST
Two trolls charmed by the nagas' rod of rulership are
crammed in this alcove until they are drawn elsewhere.16. LAIR OF THE BONE NAGA
Bones. This 30-foot-high cave appears empty except for
the bones of numerous creatures (humanoids and yu-
an-ti) visible beneath the water.
Hexacali. Lurking amid the bones is a bone naga (for-
merly a spirit naga named Hexacali).
The bone naga tries to slay any living creature that
enters its domain. Creatures moving through this area
must succeed on a DC IS Wisdom (Perception) check or
be surprised when the bone naga attacks.- BATTLEFIELD C AVERN
This 30 -foot-high cavern was the main front of the battle
between the yuan-ti and the nagas.
LEVEL 8 J SLITHERSWAMP
17A. BONES IN THE MUD
The water here is 2 feet deep, and the cavern floor be-
neath it is littered with yuan-ti bones.17B. DEATH OF A NAGA
The phantasmal scene of a spirit naga battling four
yuan-ti purebloods plays out for characters who set foot
on this island. As characters view the scene, they find
themselves literally being drawn into it.
Each character drawn into the scene temporarily be-
comes one of the yuan-ti fighting the wounded Hexacali.
The character gains the statistics of a yuan-ti pure-
blood with 2d20 hit points remaining.
Hexacali, a spirit n a ga with 3S hit points, is trapped
on the island and fights yuan-ti characters to the death.
Yuan-ti characters who drop to 0 hit points during this
fight immediately come to their senses and take 22
(4d10) psychic damage from the shock of their illusory
demise. Unlike any damage sustained in the battle, this
psychic damage is real. A character free of the vision
can free another character from it by using an action to
shake or slap them.
If the characters defeat Hexacali, their last collective
memory is of pinning the naga down to be slain and
raised as a bone naga. The vision then ends for all char-
acters and can't take hold of them again.17C. MIRROR GATE TO LEVEL 10
A wedge of dry land rises from the water to become the
floor of a IS-foot-high cave with a mirror mounted to its
eastern wall.
The mirror is framed by an assemblage of hundreds
of tiny interlocking stone gears. This mirror reflects nor-
mally and is one of Halaster's gates (see "Gates," page
I2). Its frame is composed of an assemblage of hun-
dreds of tiny, interlocking stone gears. This gate's rules
are as follows:- Any creature that inspects the frame and succeeds on
a DC IS Wisdom (Perception) check sees that one of
the gears has popped out slightly. If it is pressed, the
gear locks in place, causing all the gears to turn and
the gate to open for 1 minute. When the gate closes, a
different random gear pops out slightly, causing all the
gears to lock again. - Characters must be 11th level or higher to pass
through this gate (see "jhesiyra Kestellharp," page
10). The first creature to pass through the gate trig-
gers an elder rune (see "Elder Runes," page I2).
A creature that passes through the gate appears in
area 2Sb on level IO, in the closest unoccupied space
next to the identical gate located there.
- SERPENT GATE
These 10-foot-high side caverns feature a s tanding gate
that grants access to level 11. Strikingly beautiful carv-
ings of serpents decorate the walls of these caverns.18A. TRAPPED APPROACH
An old yuan-ti trap meant to prevent approach to the
gate still functions in this area. A pressure plate under
the water and mud extends the full width of the cavern
entrance. A character searching the cavern for traps