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Confidential
information of Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Do not distribute.
The Mud Sorcerer’s Tomb
An adventure for four 14th-‐level characters
By Mike Shel
Revision by Chris Sims
Revision Developed and Edited by Chris Perkins and Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
D&D Next Playtest ©2012 Wizards 1
Confidential information of Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Do not distribute.
The Jezulein were not ones to rest on their
Introduction laurels. Through the use of forbidden oracles, the
Centuries ago, the cruel, sadistic mud sorcerers mud sorcerers probed the future, and what they
foresaw their cult’s demise and concocted a plan saw displeased them. Their divinations revealed
to outlive their adversaries. Retreating beneath that the chaos would soon end, and when a new
the surface, the powerful members of the cult’s government subdued the anarchy, efforts to
ruling council constructed hidden tombs filled eradicate the Jezulein would begin and succeed.
with complex traps and immortal guardians. To This forthcoming doom troubled the Jezulein
these crypts they retreated, content to relax in ruling council, the Iron Circle, which met in dark
temporal stasis until their enemies had vanished. chambers and fiercely debated methods by which
One of these ancient resting places has been the mud sorcerers might thwart fate.
discovered, intact and unexplored. Do you have After heated arguments, the council finally
what it takes to obtain the fabulous treasures that agreed on an audacious, insidious plan to
await you in the mud sorcerer’s tomb? construct labyrinthine crypts beneath the earth.
The Mud Sorcerer’s Tomb is a DUNGEONS & There, the most powerful mud sorcerers would
DRAGONS® adventure for four 14th-‐level hide in temporal stasis. Meanwhile, trusted
characters. This adventure originally appeared in minions would carry on the Jezulein traditions in
Dungeon 37 and was revised for 3rd edition rules secret, waiting for the day when they could
in Dungeon 138. This version has been revised awaken their masters.
and updated to the D&D® Next rules. Inspired by Eight years after the members of the Iron Circle
Gary Gygax’s classic Tomb of Horrors™, The Mud committed themselves to their earthbound
Sorcerer’s Tomb is a deadly dungeon crawl slumber, an alliance of powerful temples and
designed to challenge high-‐level parties to the noble families reestablished the rule of law. The
utmost of their abilities. Jezulein failed to anticipate the ferocity of the
suppression of their cult. The minions who had
Adventure Background been entrusted with the secrets of the hidden
crypts were hunted down and put to the sword in
Centuries ago, political turmoil shook the pillars what historians call the Great Purge.
of civilization and plunged a large region into Centuries passed, and the cult of mud sorcerers
anarchy. While established religious institutions became little more than a footnote in obscure
fell into chaos, many scholarly individuals turned histories. Then adventurers of great renown
to the ancient, esoteric writings of Jezule, a long-‐ began uncovering the crypts of Szecolar, Mishtot,
dead wizard-‐priest of dreadful reputation. State Baakar Mot, Jillal, and several other high-‐ranking
temples had repressed his lunatic texts for years, Jezulein. Many of these adventurers perished in
but now, absent their formidable influence, his their explorations, but those who survived
work resurfaced. New followers of Jezule emerged with a wealth of treasure and tales of
flourished, converting numerous people to a horror. Some survivors e nded t heir a dventuring
bizarre mix of wizardly mysticism and careers o n t he s pot, t hanking t he g ods for t heir
elementalism combining aspects of both water lives.
and earth. This elemental mix earned the Jezulein Although several Jezulein tombs have been
the disparaging label “mud sorcerers.” In typical found and explored, the resting sites of other Iron
Jezulein style, they adopted the jab as a name. Circle members have yet to be uncovered. The
Little information concerning this secretive cult true nature of the mud sorcerers is still shrouded
survives today. It is known that the members in mystery, and exploration of one of their tombs
delighted in conundrums, disdaining those who is not a task to be undertaken lightly.
failed to equal Jezulein mental prowess. The mud
sorcerers’ rituals involved evil elemental forces Adventure Synopsis
and vile acts. The cult flowered in the chaos that
ruled at that time, and the mud sorcerers grew The Mud Sorcerer’s Tomb is a fantastic dungeon
wealthy and powerful in only a few years. filled with fiendish traps, vicious monsters, and
D&D Next Playtest ©2012 Wizards 2
Confidential information of Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Do not distribute.
rich
treasures.
Navigating
the
tomb
is
difficult,
remains
they
find
to
the
Seekers,
but
they
are
but
explorers
can
benefit
from
the
fact
that
the
entitled
to
any
profit
from
the
venture.
mud
sorcerers
intended
to
awaken.
The
Iron
If
you
use
this
hook,
place
dead
Seekers
in
the
Circle
hid
clues
throughout
the
dungeon,
pointing
tomb.
Most
probably
perished
in
area
4,
although
to
instructions
for
followers
to
prepare
them
for
the
corpses
in
the
pit
in
area
19
might
also
be
awakening.
These
instructions
have
long
since
those
of
Seekers.
been
lost,
but
the
clues
remain,
giving
canny
adventurers
the
edge
they
need
to
survive
the
Mud
Sorcerer
Lore
mud
sorcerer’s
tomb.
Before
the
characters
enter
the
tomb,
they
might
want
to
learn
a
little
about
it.
Use
the
information
Adventure
Hooks
in
this
section
to
answer
their
questions.
The
newly
discovered
tomb
belongs
to
an
Iron
Knowing
this
lore
requires
an
Intelligence
check,
circle
member
named
Tzolo,
although
this
but
no
one
except
those
trained
in
historical
or
information
is
not
known.
The
identity
of
its
magical
lore
is
likely
to
know
much
more
than
occupant
becomes
clear
only
after
explorers
what
is
revealed
with
a
successful
DC
15
check.
move
deep
inside.
DC
15:
The
mud
sorcerers
were
a
pseudo-‐
The
Mud
Sorcerer’s
Tomb
begins
and
ends
at
religious
cult
that
followed
the
teachings
of
Jezule,
the
dungeon
entrance.
Here
are
a
couple
of
ways
a
devotee
of
the
princess
of
evil
ooze,
Bwimb.
The
to
attract
the
characters
to
the
threshold.
term
“mud
sorcerer”
is
a
derogatory
term
for
an
Mysterious
Map:
Maavu,
a
merchant
of
elementalist
who
mixes
the
forces
of
earth
and
esoteric
goods,
contacts
the
characters.
His
water.
associates
have
obtained
a
map
rumored
to
lead
An
a lliance
o f
s ecular
a nd
r eligious
forces
to
a
tomb
of
one
of
the
infamous
mud
sorcerers.
destroyed
t he
order
centuries
ago.
But
within
He
has
little
use
for
the
map,
but
he
knows
it’s
the
last
two
decades,
various
parties
have
just
the
sort
of
item
an
adventuring
party
might
recovered
treasures
and
scrolls
supposedly
taken
want.
He
offers
to
sell
the
map
for
5,000
gp.
from
mud
sorcerers’
tombs.
These
scrolls
are
Alternatively,
the
characters
can
obtain
the
always
written
in
a
dead
language
known
as
map
in
the
treasure
hoard
of
any
defeated
enemy.
Taalese.
Rumor
has
it
that
all
writing
in
Jezulein
In
any
case,
the
Jezulein
symbol
of
the
earth
in
tombs
is
also
in
this
language.
harmony
with
water
appears
on
the
map
(symbol
The
mud
sorcerers
were
extremely
protective
4
on
the
handout).
A
DC
20
Intelligence
check
is
of
their
hiding
places,
and
explorers
have
required
to
identify
the
symbol.
If
the
characters
encountered
numerous
traps,
tricks,
and
false
cannot
identify
it,
a
sage
or
similarly
learned
sepulchers
before
discovering
the
actual
tombs.
person
might
do
so
for
them.
However,
cryptic
riddles
written
in
Taalese
have
Seeking
the
Seekers:
Karal,
an
agent
of
a
been
found
in
other
tombs,
sometimes
providing
secretive
organization
of
treasure
hunters
called
valuable
information,
while
other
times
leading
the
Seekers,
approaches
the
adventurers.
She
is
to
disaster.
aware
of
the
characters’
reputation,
and
she
Spells
that
deal
with
earth
and
water
have
believes
they
might
be
suitable
candidates
for
unusual
and
unpredictable
effects
around
mud
membership.
Before
she
can
grant
them
an
sorcerer
relics.
The
Jezulein
were
also
masters
of
audience
with
her
superiors,
however,
she
needs
protective
magic,
and
they
have
likely
placed
them
to
perform
a
task
for
the
Seekers
that
is
part
powerful
magical
wards
to
limit
the
operation
of
favor
and
part
test.
magic
inside
their
tombs.
A
group
of
Seekers
recently
found
the
location
DC
20:
Although
the
cult
was
destroyed,
of
a
mud
sorcerer’s
tomb
and
set
out
to
explore
it.
numerous
texts,
as
well
as
the
testimony
of
They
never
returned
from
the
expedition,
and
the
cultists,
predicted
that
the
mud
sorcerers
would
organization
believes
they
might
have
perished.
rise
again.
The
leaders
of
the
order,
known
as
the
The
Seekers
want
the
characters
to
enter
the
Iron
Circle,
were
never
found,
suggesting
that
tomb
and
discover
what
befell
the
missing
they
might
have
escaped
the
purge
in
some
sort
explorers.
The
adventurers
must
return
any
of
magical
refuge.
D&D Next Playtest ©2012 Wizards 3
Confidential information of Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Do not distribute.
Even
to
this
day,
divinations
concerning
the
iron
and
locked
(AC
15;
immune
to
cold,
necrotic,
mud
sorcerers
have
a
much
higher
chance
than
poison,
psychic;
hp
100;
DC
25
Strength
check
to
usual
of
providing
false
or
misleading
break
open;
DC
25
Dexterity
check
to
pick
the
information.
This
fact
suggests
that
some
lock).
powerful
force
still
protects
the
cult’s
secrets.
Magical
Effects:
The
mud
sorcerers
created
Four
glyphs
of
power
are
associated
with
the
several
magical
wards
in
this
sanctuary.
mud
sorcerers’
magic,
numbered
1
to
4
in
the
One
ward
prevents
all
extraplanar
travel
so
handout.
The
first
symbol
represents
the
that
no
one
can
teleport
into
or
out
of
the
tomb,
convergence
of
earth
and
water,
the
second
is
but
teleportation
within
its
boundaries
is
earth
dominant,
the
third
is
water
dominant,
and
possible.
No
one
can
use
abilities
within
the
tomb
the
fourth
shows
the
harmony
of
earth
and
water.
that
require
travel
to
another
plane,
other
than
DC
25:
The
mud
sorcerers’
tombs
were
created
coterminous
areas
such
as
the
Ethereal
and
to
serve
as
refuges
for
the
cult’s
most
powerful
Astral.
This
ward
also
prevents
scrying
of
any
members.
Supposedly,
these
leaders
are
still
alive
sort.
somewhere
within,
resting
in
temporal
stasis.
The
second
ward
interferes
with
elemental
They
left
detailed
instructions
guided
by
clues
to
magic.
Any
such
spell
cast
within
the
tomb
(for
help
their
followers
decipher
the
many
riddles
example,
one
that
creates
or
shapes
earth
or
within
the
tombs,
making
it
easier
to
wake
the
water,
or
that
deals
acid
or
cold
damage),
in
sleepers
within.
None
of
these
instructions
addition
to
its
normal
effect,
has
a
50%
chance
to
survived
the
purge
that
destroyed
the
Jezulein
create
a
weird
elemental
creature
known
as
a
cult.
mud
grue.
The
mud
grue
appears
next
to
and
Iron
Circle
members
whose
tombs
remain
attacks
the
spell’s
caster,
other
than
servants
of
undiscovered
include:
Alyph,
Aqui,
Boukettu,
the
mud
sorcerers
(such
as
Tzila
in
area
31).
In
Daedis
Ko,
Eyenne,
Graptis,
Irdraz,
Iyayo,
Jikyor,
this
case,
the
grue
serves
the
caster
for
1
hour,
at
Lalotte,
Markule,
Nagiyat,
Nala,
Oiru,
Oyallum,
which
point
it
dissolves
back
into
the
elemental
Piyyat,
Szew,
Tilyat,
Timla
Ji,
Tzolo,
Ulshidar,
Uso,
energy
that
birthed
it.
Visivius,
and
Xialta.
Third,
the
mud
sorcerers
enlisted
the
aid
of
powerful
elemental
forces
to
protect
their
secrets
Dungeon
Features
centuries
ago.
These
beings
continue
to
fulfill
their
ancient
agreement,
even
though
the
Jezulein
Most
areas
within
the
tomb
have
the
following
are
long
gone.
As
a
result
of
this
elemental
features
in
common,
with
exceptions
noted
in
interference,
any
divination
spell
(such
as
augury,
specific
rooms.
commune,
and
divination)
always
has
a
chance
of
Light:
T he
e ntire
tomb
is
d imly
illuminated
failing
as
if
the
spell
had
been
cast
more
than
by
a
b luish,
a mbient
m agical
light
that
h as
n o
once
on
a
given
day.
discernable
s ource,
m uch
like
t he
d iffuse
light
Finally,
powerful
wards
protect
several
of
the
underwater.
T his
m agical
light
c auses
the
closed
areas
and
compartments
within
the
tomb.
whole
tomb
to
radiate
a
w eak
e vocation
a ura
These
can
be
opened
only
with
magical
keys.
No
when
v iewed
w ith
d etect
m agic.
other
means
can
bypass
these
obstacles.
Consult
Clues:
A
number
of
clues
appear
in
various
the
“Magical
Key”
table
for
a
list
of
these
items,
locations
in
the
tomb.
These
clues
are
the
locations
where
they
are
found,
and
where
consolidated
as
player
handouts
in
appendix
1.
they
can
be
used.
Construction:
The
rooms
and
corridors
within
the
tomb
have
ceilings
12
feet
high,
and
are
made
of
tightly
fitted,
white
stone
blocks
that
have
been
magically
bonded
to
trace
amounts
of
adamantine.
This
bond
has
two
unique
effects.
The
5-‐foot-‐thick
walls
are
treated
as
metal
for
spells
that
manipulate
or
sense
through
matter.
The
doors
in
the
tomb
are
made
of
3-‐inch-‐thick
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