A typical encounter consists of two lawful evil humancultists dressed in black robes, each carrying a censer
and wearing a thin, golden mask shaped like a devil's
face (and worth 25 gp to an interested buyer). The cen-
sers contain burning incense. A devil mask covers its
wearer's whole face except for the eyes, nostrils, and
mouth. No two masks look exactly alike.
If this encounter occurs in a tunnel that has a sewertrench running down the middle of it, the two cultists
are walking on opposite sides of the trench, moving in
the same direction while swinging their censers gently.
You can make the encounter harder by replacing the
cultists with cuJt fanatics, or adding one or more invisi-
ble imps as escorts.
If any wandering cultists are defeated, reduce the
number of cultists encountered in area V33 accordingly.
If the characters make no effort to hide the bodies of thecultists they defeat, someone stumbles upon them even-
tually and warns the barbed devil in area V26. Assum-
ing it hasn't been defeated already, the devil scours the
dungeon for trespassers once notified of their presence.
V23. COLD STORAGE
The Vanthampurs store animal carcasses and other
fresh meat in this room. Hanging in the middle of the
room from the IO-foot-high ceiling are six 3-foot-long
chains, each ending in a hook. Flayed boar carcasses
hang from four of the hooks, while the remaining twohooks are bare.
V24. DINING ROOM
The cultists dine here, though none are present when
the characters first arrive. Two wooden trestle tables
with benches stand in the middle of the room, which is
brightly lit by six tall wrought-iron candlesticks spacedalong the walls. Each candlestick stands six feet high
and has nine lit candles at the top of it.
V25. KITCHEN
The cultists prepare their meals here, though no cultists
are present when the characters first arrive. The kitchen
is uncomfortably warm and contains a pair of brightly
burning cast-iron stoves with piles of wood next to them.
Other furnishings include a wooden trestle table wherefood is prepared, as well as shelves lined with plates,
mugs, pots, utensils, and jars of ingredients and spices.
V26. TEMPLE OF ZARIEL
The iron double door leading to this room has Infernal
runes carved into its arched door frame. A character
who understands Infernal can translate these runes as
follows: "That which falls can rise again."
A character who listens at the double door or one of
the secret doors leading to this room hears a half dozen
humanoid voices chanting in Infernal. Characters who
DISGUISED CHARACTERS
Characters can disguise themselves using masks and
robes taken from defeated cultists. While disguised in this
fashion, characters have advantage on Charisma (Decep·
tion) checks made to fool devils and cult members in the
dungeon under Vanthampur Villa.listen to the chants and understand that language can
discern praise heaped upon the archdevil Zariel for her
tireless effort to win the Blood War.When the characters enter the room, set the scene by
reading aloud the following boxed text:Two rows of tall wrought·iron candlesticks light this
vaulted chamber, each one bearing nine flickering can·
dies. A seven-foot· tall statue of an angel with white glow-
ing eyes and a longsword stands atop a dais to the south.
A six-foot-tall fiend bristling with spines stands west of
the statue, glaring at four black-robed cultists who kneel
and chant in the middle of the room, their faces hidden
behind golden devil masks. Nine tapestries depicting the
layers of the Nine Hells adorn the walls.The spined fiend is a barbed devil named Odious. Sent
by Zariel to serve Duke Vanthampur, the devil answers
only to those two. The chanting figures are four lawful
evil human cultists wearing black robes and goldendevil masks similar to those worn by the cultists in area
V22. The devil and the cultists attack intruders on sight,
but can be duped by characters wearing disguises (see
the "Disguised Characters" sidebar).Statue. The statue represents Zariel in her angelic
form. It's a Large object with AC 17, 33 hit points, andimmunity to fire, poison, and psychic damage. Toppling
the statue with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
check causes it to shatter on the floor.
Treasure. The statue's head and neck a re hollow.
Lodged in this cavity is a +l mace that can be removed
only if the statue is destroyed. The head of the mace
sheds bright light in a 5-foot-radius and di.m light for
an additional 5 feet. The wielder of the mace can extin-
guish or ignite its light as an action. (This light is what
causes the statue's eyes to glow.)
V27. ESCAPE T'uNNEL
Hidden behind a secret door, this tunnel has a wooden
ladder at its north end. The ladder climbs a 15-foot-high
shaft to a trapdoor that opens into area V2.
V28. SECRET SHRINE
This room is hidden behind secret doors (see "Dungeon
Features," page 37). The scraping noise either door
makes when opened is loud enough to alert the room's
occupant. Read the following when the characters enter:This room is lit by a pair of ta ll wrought-iron candlesticks
in the northeast and southeast corners. Nine candles
burn atop each one, casting flickering light across a claw-
footed altar carved from a single block of obsidian, and
which has a small angel-shaped Aame erupting from its
top. A gray·haired woman kneels before the altar.Duke Thalamra Vanthampur (see the accompanying
stat block) kneels before the altar. She wears fine
CHAPTER I J A TALE OF TWO CITIES
39