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Hall of Dread (Dungeons of Elemental Evil #340) |
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Note: This information was taken from TSR's original AD&D adventure, the Temple of Elemental Evil.
For the players: This place is horrible and disgusting,
loathsome and fearsome. The stonework
seems leprous and mottled. Everywhere
are sculpted fungous shapes of nightmare
form and coloration. Each column
rising to the roof above writhes and
squirms with intertwined fungi. The
walls drip with slimes and ooze revolting
exudations. The bizarre reds, disgusting
yellows, rotten grays and browns, nauseous
greens, and hideous blues blend in
a vertiginous swirl in the center of the
northern part of the place, wherein
squats a huge sprawling purple throne.
This great chair is sculpted to display
fungi and human forms, but those
depicted are shown crying out in pain as
fungi shoot up from their flesh, feed
upon their dead and decomposing
bodies, or grow rampant in their bony
remains. Even the shape of the throne is
abominable; its seat is broad and round,
with a concave surface and four hemispherical
indentations, two in front, two
behind. It has wide arm rests but no back
whatsoever. It stands upon a four-tiered
dais, the top and 2' high steps of which
are carved in bas-relief to depict fungi,
smut, slimes, molds, jellies, and other
horrible growths devouring a compacted
mass of living and dead humans.
The demoness must have used this
area to view captives and servants, the
former going to whatever unspeakable
fates awaited them, the latter exalting in
the fact that no similar prospect awaited
them, as long as they served Zuggtmoy
well.
Projections resembling blighted vegetation
line the walls, and each gives off a
dim but pervasive illumination. Passages
and doors are in the east and south walls.
Twin valves of bronze in the middle of
the south wall accompany twins of gates
found elsewhere in the dungeon, complete
with bindings and silvery glowing
runes. To the west, a 20' broad flight of
serpentine steps leads down into a highdomed
chamber, filled with dim but
multi-hued light continually changing in
color and intensity.
For the DM: The large bronze doors have, of course, a
permanent antipathy spell upon them; all
those failing any previous saving throw
against this effect are unable to approach
within ten feet of these doors. They are
bound in the standard fashion—chained,
locked, sealed with soft iron, and bearing
the deeply cut sequence of warning runes.
The secret door in the southwest corner cannot
be opened from this area except by magical
means. Zuggtmoy cannot enter this
Audience Hall unless three gates have been
sundered: the Grand Entrance, Earth Temple,
and Octagonal Chamber.
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