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A dark and dank dungeon crypt and temple of a forgotten champion to the Godess Vannia Lady of The Lake. · Medium · Medium

Vannia's Drowned Crypt

Where the lake took the champion, the dead kept the vow.
Rooms
7
Foes
16, CR 1/4 to 5
Traps
7
Treasure
1,820 gp
1234567Entrance
Select a room on the plan to open it.

The party is in

1. Flooded Stair

Seen

Something wanders by

At a glance

The threat

The champion interred below has risen as a wrathful, water-bound guardian, twisted by an oath it can no longer complete.

Wandering monsters (1d4)

  1. 1

    1d2× Drain FeedersCR 1/2

    When: When the party makes loud noise or leaves food unattended in the halls.A pair of drowned rats or a lone corpse-hound slips through broken drains, drawn by warmth and blood.
  2. 2

    Restless AcolyteCR 1

    When: When a holy symbol is brandished or a room is desecrated.A soaked acolyte ghost moans fragments of prayer and lashes out at the living with cold hands.
  3. 3

    Drowned SentinelCR 2

    When: When the party lingers in one place or opens sealed reliquaries.A rusted temple guard patrols the corridors in silence, stopping to listen at doors before striking.
  4. 4

    1 swarm× Crypt LeechesCR 1/4

    When: When characters wade through flooded corridors or bleed into the water.A swarm of pale leeches writhes through standing water and climbs boots in a hungry mass.

Rooms

7
1

Flooded Stair

2 foes1 traptreasuresecret

What they see

Read aloud

The entry stair descends into damp darkness where old shell mosaics are slick with condensation. A cracked mosaic of Vannia's holy boat marks the threshold, but fresh boot prints show someone entered recently and did not return.

Features

  • Flood-slick steps
  • Broken shell mosaic
  • Cold draft from below

What the GM knows

Monsters

2× Grave RatsCR 1/4

Two damp grave rats gnaw on offerings and flee into side cracks when threatened.Tactics. They dart in to distract and then retreat into crevices, trying to lure pursuers onto slick steps.

Traps

Rotten StairDC 13 bludgeoning

A broken step gives way over a shallow drop into black water and jagged stone.Disarm. Wedge the step from below or mark and bypass the fractured tread.

Treasure

Silver Prayer Token25 gp

A tarnished silver prayer token stamped with Vannia's wave symbol.
Room secrets · GM only

Notes

Good place to introduce the temple's waterlogged feel and a warning that the lower halls are occupied. The corridor noise from should be audible here as faint scraping and chain clinks.

3 doors: N (normal), W (normal), S (locked)

The place

What it is

This drowned crypt-temple was built to honor a forgotten champion of Vannia, Lady of the Lake, then sealed after the champion's death turned to blight.

Atmosphere

Cold water drips through cracked stone, and the air carries old incense, wet earth, and the faint tang of rusted iron.

The threat

The champion interred below has risen as a wrathful, water-bound guardian, twisted by an oath it can no longer complete.

History

Centuries ago, a lake-born knight sworn to Vannia defended a sacred crossing and won renown for returning the drowned to shore.

Rumors

1d4
Roll a rumor

  1. 1They say the crypt was flooded on purpose because something in the chapel would not stay dead.
  2. 2Old fishers claim blue lights move beneath the lake on moonless nights and gather at the ruins.
  3. 3A priest in town swears the champion still guards a treasure, but only if you speak the right prayer.
  4. 4People who camp near the ruins hear armor walking under the water after midnight.

Plot hooks

3
rescueThe Missing RowersA village by the lake has lost three boatmen, and each was last seen rowing toward the flooded ruins at dusk.From: Mara, the ferryman's widowReward: 120 gp and a silver prayer medallion
recoveryRestore the OathA priest of Vannia believes the old shrine can still be redeemed if someone retrieves the champion's broken relics and performs the lost rite.From: Brother HalvenReward: Access to temple healing and 150 gp
investigationThe Storm's DeadUndead have begun appearing on the lakeshore after storms, and tracks lead back to the crypt's eastern drain.From: Sheriff TovinReward: 200 gp and local favors

Corridors

4

  • Between and

    Shallow rills of black water run along the floor, forcing travelers to step carefully or leave bright splashes behind.

  • Between and

    Moss-choked saint niches line the walls, each holding a broken votive bowl filled with stagnant water.

  • Between and

    A submerged section of hall has cracked open, releasing cold mist and muffling footsteps.

  • Between and room-7

    Chiseled prayer bands repeat Vannia's blessings, but several lines have been scratched out by angry claws.

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