Shrine of Evil Chaos, Chapter 8 Book I

Clearing the Shrine!

From the Chronology:

10 Coldeven (March), 590 CY After a long night's rest, the party (now over a dozen strong) launch their assault on the Shrine of Evil Chaos. They demolish hordes of skeletons and zombies, cult members, and priests, eliminating the threat of the Caves of Chaos for the near future. They return to the Keep for a well-earned rest.

The Narrative: 

Evryhss (elvish adventurer) & Gozara (barbarbian warrior) again returned to the Keep the night before. The rest of the party now comprised Corvus (priest of Pholtus), Sheila (paladin of Pholtus),  Zask (mysterious spellcaster), Redd (dwarven paladin), Olga (Dwarven Scout),  Blacktoof (half-orc barbarian), Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobar (noble artificer), Ambiguity (Rakasta druid) & her companion mountain lion, Morbor (dwarven fighter), Abel (Kettite fighter) and two hired men-at-arms - Bober & Bilsack.

This band left their camp in bugbear caverns and made their way to the Shrine of Evil Chaos, the heart of the dangers in the Caves. As so many others have found before them...

The entrance to the Evil Shrine
As depicted in Justin Pfeil's webcomic:
The Keep on the Borderlands
Page 373 – The party approaches the Temple

A faint, foul draft issue[d] from the 20’ wide cave mouth which is the entrance to this place. The worn path through the copse of obscenely twisted and oddly bloated trees [gave] those approaching along its length an eerie sense of unease, and as soon as they enter the cave mouth a dim awareness of lurking evil will pervade[s] their senses. Red strata intertwines with bulging black veins running through the hewn rock walls beyond the entrance. The wide corridors and chambers are deathly still. A faint groaning sound, and a shrill piping may be occasionally heard, barely perceptible even if the party is absolutely silent and listening. (B2 The Keep on the Borderlands, p21)

Soon after entering the Shrine, the party was attacked by a 8 zombies, the noise of the fight attracted more undead, skeletons and zombies which came in waves at the party. They undead were no match for adventurers, who mowed through them with ease, and showed equal competence slaughtering the adepts and acolytes of the Shrine whom they cornered in their quarters. 

The party bursts into the Chaos acolyte's quarters...

The slaughter of the Chaos adepts...

At this point, Evryhss (elvish adventurer) & Gozara (barbarbian warrior) returned from the Keep with Artemis (elf warrior), an adventurer the recruited in the tavern at the Keep. They entered the Shrine and followed the remains of the zombies and skeletons to the party.

They party's sketch map of the Shrine.

The reunited party discovered a chapel to evil chaos...

This place is of red stone, the floor being a mosaic checkerboard of black and red. The south wall is covered by a huge tapestry which depicts a black landscape, barren trees, and unidentifiable but horrible black shapes in silhouette - possibly demons of some sort - holding aloft a struggling human. A gray sky is torn by wisps of purple clouds, and a bloody moon with a skull-like face on it leers down upon the scene. Four black pillars support the domed ceiling some 25’ overhead. Between these columns, just in front of the tapestry, is a stone altar of red veined black rock, rough-hewn and stained brown with dried blood. Upon it are 4 ancient bronze vessels - a shallow bowl, a pair of goblets, and a ewer, a vase-shaped pitcher. They are also bloodstained but obviously worth a great deal of money. (B2 The Keep on the Borderlands, p22)

Sensing great evil and danger, the party left the shrine, and instead opened a door that led to steps delving deeper underground.  Convinced this way led to the Shrine's treasures, they prowled through these lower levels. 

First, they discovered a locked cell, but judicious use of magic convinced them to leave the cell and its inhabitants alone. The next corridor they explored led to a torture chamber, with three masked cult warriors. They killed these three after a brisk fight and left the gruesome rooms.

Chaos Warriors

Then, they discovered the crypt, filled with coffins and sarcophagi. They began opening these, looking for treasure or clues, when a wight burst from the 6th one they opened. They cut the undead abomination down and poured holy water on its remains. But in its tomb they discovered a magical sword and helm. 

From TSR Monster Cards
(1982)

Sir Percy tried the helm on first, and found his world view radically altered - though still devoted to tinkering and invention, he was no longer indifferent to the legality and morality of his inventions. The rest of the party didn't notice this sudden change in personality at first, and when Percy throw off the helm, the Kettite warrior Abel tried it on. He too found his world view suddenly wrenched in a new direction. Previously he followed the Kettite ideas of Balance in all things, now he found himself filled with selfish, cruel thoughts and desires. His radical change wasn't obvious either, amongst a dozen mercenary adventurers his change of heart barely registered.

This event highlights how dangerous some magic items can be to the campaign if not handled properly by the DM. The helm of alignment change can be a powerful tool for a DM, but has to be handled just right. Sir Percy's player didn't find the sudden shift from CN to LG to be particularly difficult to how he saw the character. But for Abel's player, the shift from N to CE was essentially a death sentence, it ended how he saw the character and moved him in directions he was uninterested in pursuing. I should have handled it differently, discussed was with the players to allow him to continue to enjoy playing the character. For example, I might have created a roleplaying challenge where he would know something was wrong with himself, set up a struggle with the helm similar to that a PC might have with an intelligent weapon. Definitely a learning event for me as a GM. And highlighted that even after 43 years as a dungeon master, I still have a lot to learn. 

After clearing the crypt, the party continued down a long corridor with twists and turns to a large storage room. Here the band was surprised again, by a large gelatinous cube. Trapped by the cube, they hacked and slashed until it dissolved into a mass of harmless jelly. 

After searching the storage room and finding nothing of interest, the band returned to the upper levels and continued up the slope and past the shrine and priests' quarters they had already cleared. 

At the end of the hall they finally came to the heart of all the valley's evil, the Temple of Evil Chaos. 

This huge area has an arched ceiling some 30’ or more in height. The floor is of polished black stone which has swirling patterns of red veins through it. The walls behind the draperies, and the ceiling as well, are of dull black rock, while the west wall is of translucent red stone which is seemingly one piece, polished to mirror-like smoothness. A great bell of black iron stands near the entrance point, with a pair of mallets beside its supports. To the south are several long benches or pews. There are three stone altars to the west, the northernmost of pure black, the middle one of streaked red and black, the last of red with black flecks. At the western end of the temple area is a dais of black stone, with four lesser chairs on its lower tier and a great throne above. The chairs are of bone; the ivory throne is set with gold and adorned with gems of red and black. The signs and sigils upon these seats are of pure chaos and evil. The other walls are covered by draperies of deep purple with embroidered symbols and evil sayings, done in scarlet and gold and black thread. As soon as the party enters the place, black candles in eight great candelabras on either side of the place will come alight magically, shooting forth a disgusting red radiance. Shapeless forms of purple, yellow and green will dance and sway on the western wall. (B2 The Keep on the Borderlands, p22)

The Temple of Evil Chaos
As depicted in Justin Pfeil's webcomic:
The Keep on the Borderlands
Page 418 – The Temple of Evil Chaos

Next to the great bell stood the Dread Father, the evil priest leading the Shrine and directing the evil of the Caves of Chaos. He was carrying a stave carved into the form of a snake, and was wearing black and purple robes with unholy symbols embroidered in gold all aolong them. He called out, "YOU ARE ALL DOOMED! YOU SHALL DIE NOW!" Then, he swung a mallet at the bell and it rang with a great clang. He dropped the mallet, raised his staff, and began to chant. A shuffling, clanking sound comes from behind the party as two score zombies and skeletons clad in rotting temple finery begin marching into the Temple... 

Evryhss raised his bow and sent an arrow straight through the left eye of the priest, killing him instantly in mid-chant. The rest of the group quickly downed the zombies and skeletons. The adventurers then ransacked the Dread Father's quarters, looking especially for anything showing a connection to the giant raids. They found an undated letter signed only "S" that confirmed the Caves were in league with the Giant forces.

 

Then the party looted the place, while Corvus, Priest of Pholtus, blessed the shrine and temple, destroying all of the evil writings and unholy artifacts, splashing oil all around the rooms and lighting them to cleanse the unholy underground temple with fire.

Then victorious and loaded with loot, the band returned to the Keep for some much needed rest. 

This played out over two long separated sessions - Memorial Day 2022 and then it was concluded on 7 January 2023.

Disclaimer: This blog recounts the fictional events of a game of Dungeons & Dragons. Views expressed by characters within the blog are those of the characters, not the players, dungeon master, nor the blog's author. All other views in this blog are my own and represent the views of no other person, organization, or institution.