45 .GargoyleGuardians...........................................................................................................................................................
Atthebottomofthegrandstaircase,aresonant
mechanicalrumblingemanatesfromadarkshaft
openingupinthemiddleofthischamber’sfloor.Four
cylindricalstonepedestalssurroundtheshaft,eachten
feettall,fivefeetwide,andfeaturingatinyslotinits
side.Squattingatopeachpedestalisalargefour-armed
gargoyle.
Anycharacterlookingdownontheroomfromoneofthe
balconiesaboveoranotherhighvantagepointnotices
somethingelse:
Eachgargoyleiscontainedwithinasquaremadeof
metallictilesembeddedinthetopofitspedestal.
Startingwiththenorthernmostpedestalandgoing
clockwise,thetilesarecopper,silver,gold,and
platinum.
Fourgiantfour-armedgargoyles(seeappendixD)are
perchedatopthepedestals,eachonecrouchedwithinits
squareoftiledpreciousmetal.Thegargoylesremain
motionlessuntiltheyareprovoked.
Theslotsineachpedestalare 4 feetabovethefloorand
roughlythesizeofastandardcoin.Allhumanoidsmustpaya
tithebeforeleavingthisroomtoavoidprovokingthe
gargoyles’wrath.Specifically,eachhumanoidmustinserta
coinoftheappropriatetypeintoeachpedestal( 1 cpinthe
northpedestal, 1 spintheeastpedestal, 1 gpinthesouth
pedestal,and 1 ppinthewestpedestal).Agargoylewill
alwaysacceptamorepreciouscointhantheonerequired,soa
characterinsertingaplatinumcoinintoeverypedestalcould
exittheroomsafely.Agargoylewillalsoacceptatitheof
multiplecoinsofequalorgreatervalue( 10 cpinsteadof 1 sp
intheeastpedestal,forexample).Thepedestalshavehollow
cavitieswithinthemtostorethecoins(see“Treasure”below).
Thegargoylesalwaysknowwhenthey’rebeingcheated.If
anyhumanoidleavestheroomwithoutofferingsufficientcoin,
anycheatedgargoylesspringtolifeandattackthecheapskate.
Agargoylealsospringstolifeandattacksifitoritspedestalis
damagedinanyway.Themetallictilesatopthepedestalscan
bepriedloose,buttheyturntodustifremovedfromthis
chamber.Shaft
Theshaftintheflooris 10 feetwideand 15 feetdeep.It
opensintotheceilingofarea 58 .Toscalethesmoothwallsof