Battlemap
The Hollow of Ahriman
Black sands bury the sins of the alchemists under the gaze of the Dark Lord.
A half-buried desert settlement where sun-bleached stone meets shadow-steeped corridors. It reeks of sulfur and old decay, echoing with the distant baying of spectral hounds.
The air is stiflingly hot and smells of bitter chemicals and ozone. Green alchemical light flickers in wall sconces, casting long, jerky shadows. Sounds of clicking mandibles and bone scraping on stone fill the silence.
☠ Threat
Malphas the Transmuter, a high priest who successfully achieved a form of lichdom, oversees the ruins. He is currently refining a liquid shadow elixir to expand the ruins' influence and plunge the surrounding dunes into a permanent, lethal eclipse. His presence is felt through the oily, purple vapors that drift from the deeper chambers and the unnerving intelligence of the local scavengers.
History
Once a prosperous oasis outpost, the settlement of Al-Zahir turned to the worship of Ahriman to survive a decade-long drought. The citizens traded their souls for alchemical gold and unnatural longevity, resulting in a cursed existence as sand-caked undead trapped within their own crumbling walls. Now, the shifting dunes have revealed the entrance once more, calling to those seeking lost lore and cursed riches.
Encounter Table
CRAn elemental creature of sand and shadow that melds with the floors.
Sun-bleached skeletons wearing the remains of Al-Zahir's guard uniforms.
Rumours & Whispers
The statue of Ahriman in the ruins is said to bleed gold if offered a living sacrifice.
A rogue alchemist once escaped the ruins with a liquid that could turn lead into night-glass.
At midnight, the sounds of a ghostly feast can be heard echoing across the dunes near the ruins.
The ruin's master is obsessed with a dark ritual that requires the shadow of a hero.
Quest Hooks
Quest giver: Zaid the Elder
An old merchant in the nearby oasis claims his ancestor's alchemical journal is inside the ruins.
250 gp and a potion of fire breath.
Quest giver: High Priestess Salma
The local temple warns that a dark ritual is causing the sun to dim over the region.
Favor with the temple and a set of Mithral Armor.
Corridor Notes
Faint violet mist that clings to the floor and drains warmth from the feet.
A set of hieroglyphs depicting the fall of Al-Zahir and the rise of Ahriman.
Turn The Hollow of Ahriman into a sheet
A high-res, share-ready sheet you can post or print.