The Shivered Sepulcher
The mountain groans under the weight of those who will not stay buried.
Beneath the ruins of a once-proud mountain temple lies a crumbling substructure of stone and earth. Here, the architectural precision of the past has been shattered by ancient quakes and the burrowing of something unnatural.
The air is thin and carries the scent of damp dust and cold incense. Faint chanting and the sound of falling pebbles echo through the uneven corridors. Light is scarce, provided only by occasional tallow candles or patches of dim, fungal phosphorescence.
☠ Threat
High Priest Malakor and his followers of the Slithering Deep are the primary danger. They are attempting to awaken a dormant entity within the rock by grafting undead flesh onto aberrant forms. The deeper the party descends, the more they encounter the twisted results of these experiments.
History
Originally the foundation of the Temple of the Stars, these halls served as a sanctuary and ossuary for the mountain-folk. A cataclysmic tectonic shift cracked the structure, exposing it to the deep caverns below. Recently, a nihilistic cult has occupied the ruins, repurposing the old tombs to harvest the residual energies of the mountain's core.
Encounter Table
CRLow-level cultists carrying lanterns and searching for intruders.
A starving ghoul drawn to the scent of fresh blood.
Severed hands that drop from the ceiling cracks to swarm the party.
Rumours & Whispers
The local shepherds have stopped bringing their flocks to the mountain slopes because of the black smoke.
People say the temple's old high priest never died, but instead transformed into a beast of the caves.
A captured smuggler swore that the cult is paying for gold with coins that bear no kingdom's mark.
The earthquake wasn't an accident; someone was trying to break something out from under the mountain.
Quest Hooks
Quest giver: Mayor Elara
The town's mayor seeks the Circlet of the Morning, an artifact stolen by the cult to fund their activities.
750 gold and a plot of land near the town.
Quest giver: Tomas the Weaver
A young man begs the party to save his sister who was taken to the temple for a dark ritual.
A masterwork weapon or armor piece.
Corridor Notes
A series of muddy footprints lead toward the deeper sections, ending abruptly at a wall.
A heavy wooden support beam that has snapped, causing the ceiling to sag dangerously.
Natural cave walls covered in a slime that reflects light like oily mirrors.
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