The Threshold That Watches
The threshold watches before it strikes. When a creature crosses without first touching the carved eye, the stone eye snaps shut and releases a pulse of invasive magic. The victim hears a whisper in a familiar voice, then feels every nearby shadow tug toward them. The hazard is quick, unsettling, and easy to understand once the party learns what it wants.
The Threshold That Watches
Defenses
Detection
“A cracked stone threshold bears a shallow carving of an open eye. Fine copper wires run through the mortar and vanish into the walls. When the hazard is active, the carved eye seems wet, as though it is slowly blinking.”
Standard Engagement
The hazard triggers when a creature crosses the threshold without first touching the carved eye and speaking a secret aloud.
When triggered, the eye closes, emits a pulse of amber light, and targets the triggering creature with Stolen Glance. The hazard has no further action or routine.
The hazard resets at the start of the next round after triggering. If disabled or jammed, it remains inactive until repaired or the jamming object is removed.
The triggering creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d6 psychic damage and is frightened of the nearest creature until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not frightened.
A creature that deliberately touches the carved eye and speaks a secret aloud before crossing is not affected by the hazard. The secret need not be true, but it must be specific enough to reveal something the speaker would normally keep private.
The hazard can target only the first creature that crosses the threshold during a round. Other creatures crossing at the same time are unaffected, though they may still be startled or obstructed by the first victim's reaction.
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