TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ........................................................ 2

Introduction ................................................................ 3
Background ......................................................................... 3
Placing the Temple ........................................................... 3
Adventure hooks ................................................................ 3
Tweaking the difficulty .................................................... 3
DM Map ........................................................................ 4
The Temple of Tesh-Yatra ........................................ 5
1. The Corkscrew Ramp ............................................... 5
2. The Hall of Pillars .................................................... 6
3. Central Chamber ...................................................... 6
4. Renovarium ............................................................... 6
5. Discorporium ............................................................ 7
6. The Great Hall ........................................................... 8
6A. Teleportation Chamber ....................................... 9
6B. Vestry Door ............................................................. 9
7. The Vestry .................................................................. 9
8. The Outer Sanctum ................................................ 10
9. The Inner Sanctum ................................................ 10
B1. Basement Level .................................................... 10
B1A. Pit Trap ................................................................ 10
Appendix A: Magic Items .......................................... 11
Appendix B: Monsters ............................................... 12
A Note on Monster Miniatures ..................................... 12
Iron Cobra ......................................................................... 12
Maimer ............................................................................... 12
Maw Demon ...................................................................... 13
Meazel ................................................................................ 13
Skorverra ........................................................................... 14

2
INTRODUCTION Yatra could be fringe worshippers of Gond, Onatar,
or any deity of your choosing.

ADVENTURE HOOKS
“Is it not duty to one’s Maker, to ensure that Their
creations are treasured even when the soul has
The Temple of Tesh-Yatra is designed to reward
departed? As our Creator gives us form and motion, do
adventurers of a naturally curious bent. If your party
we not venerate Their genius when we do the same?” prefers a nobler incentive than sheer adventure,
consider using the following adventure hooks:
*Author unknown, Divine Mechanics
 A ruined building on the outskirts of a village is
being rebuilt night by night, unnerving the locals.
The Temple of Tesh-Yatra is a dungeon crawl for a
The culprit is a wandering flesh golem that
party of 6th level adventurers. The dungeon takes
escaped from one of the Temple’s elevator shafts,
6-10 hours to fully explore, depending on your
and who hides around the Temple’s entrance in
party’s predilection for riddles (and violence).
the daytimes.
Inspired by the funhouse dungeons of yesteryear,  Townsfolk have generally avoided the odd stone
the Temple of Tesh-Yatra features a high
building that gives off a faint humming noise +
proportion of non-combat encounters: puzzles,
it’s surely haunted. But recently, someone swears
exploration, and the occasional fatal trap.
they’ve heard screams emanating from its
As they explore the Temple, players will piece
unknown depths…
together the mysteries of a forgotten civilization.  A greedy guild artisan has unearthed an ancient
Cunning adventurers may even escape with the
scroll describing an artifact that can create
Amulet of Tesh-Yatra: a powerful relic that gives its
masterpieces of any craft. They will pay the party
wearer the ability to command constructs and shape
to escort them into the dungeon, but plan to
matter to their will!
double-cross the heroes as soon as is expedient.
 A local wizard detects increasing amounts of
BACKGROUND planar instability in the area surrounding the
Temple, and asks the heroes to investigate.
Of all the creatures that worshipped deities of

TWEAKING THE DIFFICULTY

knowledge, the Sect of Tesh-Yatra were probably
the most esoteric in their reverence. Like most
civilizations, they shunned undead; but constructs
Combat encounters in this adventure are optimized
made of newly deceased flesh + golems + were a
for a party of four adventurers of 6th level, and
different matter. After all, if the soul has left the
assume that martial characters have some access to
body, why is it a sin to make use of the flesh? It
magic weapons . For larger parties, consider using
would be more disrespectful to let perfectly good
some of the following changes:
flesh go to waste, surely.
The gnomes of the sect built great wonders, aided
 For each additional party member, add one
by laborers that could work without rest. Yet for all maimer (see Appendix B) and two dretches in
their ingenuity, at some point they simply vanished, areas 5 and 6 respectively. You could do the
taking most traces of their civilization with them. opposite for smaller parties. For very large
Perhaps they ascended to a higher consciousness; or parties, add an extra maw demon in area 6.
perhaps someone powerful decided they’d gone too
 In area 4, the flesh golem’s inner skeleton is in
far and needed to be taught a lesson. No one can say fact a shield guardian, which bursts through the
for sure. golem’s deficient skin when the golem is reduced
to 0 hit points. This tweak is only recommended if

PLACING THE TEMPLE

the party possesses magical weapons.
 When the skorverra animates, shards of its body
detach and attack (use the flying sword statistics,
Designed as a stand-alone dungeon, the Temple can
adding immunity to lightning damage). Use two
be dropped anywhere into your campaign world. In
shards per additional adventurer.
the Forgotten Realms, it’s well-suited to the
wilderness of Chult or the High Moor; in Eberron,
the Temple might occupy a corner of the
Mournlands, or even Zilargo; and planar
adventurers may find the Temple on the Outlands,
where the misdeeds below slowly push it in the
direction of the Lower Planes. The Sect of Tesh-

3
DM MAP

4
THE TEMPLE OF TESH-
YATRA
As the party approaches the Temple, read the
following:

The circular panel is in fact a door of dark metal, 6

feet in diameter. Judging from the outside of the
building, the door looks to lead into a downward-
sloping passageway. At its center is a slowly turning
brass knob, set with a colorless hexagonal glass
gemstone that looks to offer a glimpse into the
chamber beyond. Protruding from the knob are two
thin metal spokes, which slowly move like the hands
of a clock. At the end of one spoke, the dark metal
forms a hollow circle. The end of the other spoke has
broken off. Inscribed on the door are the following
words:

The other half of the broken spoke, which ends in

a white circle, can be found by searching among the
grass and dirt nearby.
Knob Trap. The glass gem in the center of the
knob is magically warded. Looking into it when the
spokes are in the wrong configuration causes the
looker to be the target of a phantasmal force spell
(DC 12). The target perceives a swarm of illusory
snakes that slither up the corridor beyond and burst
through the gemstone, attacking the target for 1d6
psychic damage (perceived as poison damage).
Consider rolling the target’s saving throw in secret
to add to the confusion.
Opening the Door. The door is opened by turning
the broken spoke to the 6 o’ clock position
(“enlightenment below”), the intact spoke to the 12
o’ clock position, and then looking into the
gemstone. The door opens like an aperture, leading
to a cylindrical corridor that slopes down into the
ramp of area 1. The cylinder rotates clockwise.
Consult the sidebar on this page for information
about the Temple, and the map on page 4 for its
layout. The sections that follow describe locations
on that map.
1. THE CORKSCREW RAMP
At the end of the tunnel, a narrow spiral ramp
descends 20 feet down a shaft into the darkness. The
ramp stops in mid-air just below the entrance to
area 2, rotates anticlockwise, and is made of a
polished, unnaturally slippery brass. The brass is
immune to transmutation magic.
HAZARDS
Beneath the entrance to area 2, the shaft continues
downwards for another 20 feet. Descending or
ascending the ramp requires a successful DC 12
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. A creature that fails
this check slips down the ramp and plunges into the
gelatinous cube in area B1A (detailed on page 10).
When a creature slips, all creatures stood below
them on the ramp must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw to avoid being knocked down the shaft.

5
2. THE HALL OF PILLARS
The entrance way opens out into a long, well-lit
chamber with many brown stone pillars. Each pillar
stands at regular intervals, is 2 feet wide, and
appears to be rotating. At the far end of the room a
large set of double doors connect to area 3.
CREATURES
This chamber is guarded by two iron cobras (see
Appendix B). If the characters are not sneaking, the
cobras will attempt to hide behind one of the room’s
many pillars and ambush them. The iron cobras will
not attack a creature that speaks a prayer to Tesh-
Yatra.
SECRET DOORS
Secret doors in the east and west walls conceal
stairwells down to area B1. The doors can be opened
with a firm push, and noticing either one requires a
successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check.
TREASURE
Each iron cobra is powered by a quartz gemstone
worth 25gp.
6
DEVELOPMENT
If the skorverra enters this room, the room’s pillars
begin to whirr and rotate rapidly, moving around
the skorverra to accommodate it.
3. CENTRAL CHAMBER
The walls of this chamber are decorated with reliefs
in polished bronze. In the center of the chamber is a
round plinth displaying a spherical bronze sculpture
made up of concentric rings. The inner limbs and
discs of the sculpture spin with a gyroscopic effect.
On the south side of the chamber are a huge set of
double doors. A single rail runs along the floor
between the east and west doors.
THE RELIEFS
The reliefs at the four corners of this chamber depict
the life cycle of the followers of Tesh-Yatra. The
first relief depicts gnomish children playing with
toy blocks. The second shows several artisans
laboring at their crafts, making buildings and
complex inventions. The third shows an elderly
figure teaching young gnomes carpentry. The fourth
shows a large figure with odd lines across its body,
lifting large stone blocks to make some kind of
building while a bespectacled gnome looks on.
CREATURE
The sculpture is in fact a skorverra (see Appendix
B), a magical construct built to defend the Amulet of
Tesh-Yatra (see Appendix A). Its edges are razor-
sharp. Although the craftsmanship is exquisite,
little else can be gleaned about the sculpture: those
succeeding on a DC 19 Intelligence (Arcana) check
determine only that the sculpture is some kind of
magical defense mechanism or power source. The
skorverra can enter any room in the dungeon, but is
too large to fit through the spiral ramp in area 1.
DEVELOPMENT
If the Amulet of Tesh-Yatra is brought into this
room, the skorverra will use its first turn of combat
to detach from its platform, lock the doors to area 2,
and attack the amulet’s bearer with its dynamo
ability.
4. RENOVARIUM
The sliding double doors to this chamber are opened
by means of a lever on the wall to the right. In the
past, acolytes used this room to work the flesh from
the Discorporium onto metal skeletons, binding
them with magic.
This octagonal chamber is dominated by a tall
humanoid that stands motionless on a metal dais on
the left hand side of the entrance. The creature is a
grotesque mismatch of body parts and flesh that
have been stitched together, connected to several
tall brassy electrodes. On the wall to the right is a
brass panel with six levers. Against the far wall are a
small wooden trashcan, a collapsible stepladder,
and some low work tables, one of which supports a
large metallic skeleton. A bloodstained cart occupies
the center of the room, and appears to contain
decomposed organic matter. The platform in the
recess of the right wall is currently at ceiling level,
10 feet above the ground.
CREATURES
The creature on the dais by the wall is a dormant
flesh golem with the following modifications:
 The golem can use its bonus action to attack the
electrodes, unleashing electricity to heal itself.
The golem can do this a maximum of three times.
 The golem’s skeleton is metallic.
The golem attacks if it, the dais, or the electrodes
are touched; or at any other appropriately dramatic
moment.
FALSE WALL
This room contradicts the symmetry of the rest of
the Temple: hidden behind the western wall is a
cache of offerings and emergency items (see
“Treasure”, below). Much of the wall is stone, but a
small portion under the southern work table is made
of deliberately weak plaster, and easily broken.
Anyone thoroughly testing the wall by knocking
on it is likely to discover the false section;
otherwise, noticing the wall’s qualities requires a
DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Characters
proficient with mason’s or carpenter’s tools make
this check with advantage. If you are not using a
scaled map to run this adventure, allow characters
to make a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check to
notice the difference in the sizes of rooms 4 and 5.
7
CONTROL PANEL
Set into a panel in the north-east corner of the
room, these six labeled levers control the
transportation of “materials” through the Temple.
1. “Platform”. This lever controls the elevator in
the northern recess. It is currently up. Lowering it
lowers the lift (and triggers the landslide detailed in
“Hazards”, below).
2. “Vessel”. This lever controls the cart. Moving
the lever up sends the cart toward area 5, and vice
versa. This lever is currently in a middle, neutral
position.
3. “Skorverra”. Lowering this lever causes the
skorverra platform in area 3 to lower 10 feet. The
ground seals over the skorverra, and the cart rail
magically stretches to close the gap. This occurs
automatically if the cart is moved between
chambers.
4. “Discorporium Doors”. This lever controls the
door to area 5. It is up, in the closed position, at the
start of this adventure.
5. “Doors”. This lever controls the chamber doors.
It will be down, in the open position, if the
adventurers have left the door open behind them.
6. “Lock”. This lever locks the chamber door. It is
up, in the unlocked position.
HAZARDS
The elevator shaft that once rose to the surface has
long since collapsed, and now contains a large
volume of loose earth. Lowering the elevator
platform causes this earth to fill the northern side of
the chamber, turning it into difficult terrain.
Creatures within 10 feet of the lift when it lowers for
the first time must make a Dexterity saving throw,
taking 4d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or
half as much on a successful save.
The electrodes (AC12, 20 HP) in the southeast
corner are also unstable. If they take damage, each
creature within 5 feet takes 2d6 lightning damage as
electricity arcs out of the machinery.
TREASURE
The space behind the false wall contains 5 pp, 50 gp,
spell scrolls of scorching ray and wall of fire; a potion
of healing, a potion of greater healing; and a potion of
longevity.
5. DISCORPORIUM
The sliding double doors to this chamber are opened
by means of a lever on the wall to the left. In its
heyday, bodies of the faithful dead would be sent
here via the elevator, and placed upon the hollow
circular table. The room’s maimers (see Appendix
B) would strip corpses of their flesh and organs,
depositing them in a cart in the central space before
sending it to the Renovarium for golem production.
Bones would be washed and returned to the
community for funerary rites.
The center of this octagonal room contains a
circular table with a round hole at its heart. On the
far wall stands an ornate stone basin, used for
washing bones in holy water. An intermittent
clanging noise comes from the large recess in the
left-hand wall, where a metal platform judders
halfway up some kind of shaft. The top of the shaft
is entirely blocked with large slabs of broken
masonry. Some rotted piles of wood and bone lie on
the floor on the right hand side of the room. THE FIENDS ARRIVE
A short time after the party enters the chamber, the
CREATURES teleportation circle in area 6A activates. Through it
4 maimers (see Appendix B), humanoid creatures appears a mezzoloth, leading a maw demon (see
with stretched, papery flesh, hollow eye sockets, Appendix B) and 5 dretches. The fiends bring a
and long sharp claws, stand in this room. Their restrained meazel (see Appendix B) with them: they
heads turn eerily to face creatures that enter the had previously tricked it into trying to steal from
room, but they are otherwise stationary. The them, and now plan to brutally avenge this
creatures attack if the lift is lowered, if the cart in transgression to activate the room’s portal.
area 4 has been sent here, or in self-defence. Roleplaying the encounter. While the nasal,
irritable mezzoloth is startled to find company, it’d
CONTROL PANEL prefer for outsiders to peacefully leave them to their
business. The cowardly meazel wishes to survive
Set into a panel in the northwest corner, these six
and escape above all else, and will plead, lie, and
labeled levers control the transportation of
cheat to achieve this.
“materials” through the Temple:
Battle tactics. If a fight occurs, the mezzoloth
1. “Lock”. This lever locks the chamber door. It is
casts cloudkill on its first turn, taking advantage of
up, in the unlocked position.
his allies’ poison immunity. If an adventurer falls
2. “Doors”. This lever controls the chamber doors.
unconscious during the fight, the mezzoloth tries to
It is down, in the open position, if the adventurers
drag them to the portal and sacrifice them instead.
have left the door open behind them.
If the meazel is untied, it waits until the outcome of
3. “Renovarium Doors”. This lever controls the
the combat appears certain before choosing a side,
door to area 4. It is up, in the closed position, at the
using its restraints as a garrote.
start of this adventure.
4. “Skorverra”. Lowering this lever causes the
skorverra platform in area 3 to lower 10 feet. The
ground seals over the skorverra, and the cart rail
magically stretches to close the gap. This occurs
automatically if the cart is moved between
chambers.
5. “Vessel”. This lever controls the cart currently
in area 4. Moving the lever up sends the cart towards
area 4, and vice versa. This lever is currently in a
middle, “neutral” position.
6. “Platform”. This lever controls the elevator in
the northern recess. It is currently up. Lowering it
lowers the lift (and causes the maimers to attack).

6. THE GREAT HALL

This place of worship has been defiled by fiends
passing through en route to Avernus. Read the
following when the party enters this room:

8
PORTAL
The eastern archway (marked P on the map) is an
inactive one-way portal to Avernus in the Nine
Hells. The portal can be opened for one round by
committing an act of consummate revenge in the
archway. The portal is known only to yugoloth
mercenaries, who use it to escort demon
skirmishers to the frontlines of the Blood War.
Noticing the portal requires a successful DC 14
Intelligence (Arcana) check; a character that rolls 18
or higher also learns the portal’s destination and
means of use.
6A. TELEPORTATION CHAMBER
This perfectly circular chamber contains a
permanent teleportation circle. The room is marred
with bloodstains, occasional body parts, and other
violent mementoes from its fiendish visitors.
6B. VESTRY DOOR
The door to the vestry does not open when pushed,
and has no handle or keyhole. To the left of the door,
a small recess in the wall bears the following words:

THE HIGH ALTAR

A large brass altar stands on a raised platform at the
far end of the chamber. On the south side of it is a
small panel with six buttons, and a knob on the
right hand side. There is a space on the panel where
a left-hand dial has been broken off.
The panel can create the following effects:

Button 1. Pressing this button causes five altars to
rise from the ground. The room is in this
configuration when the party arrives.
Button 2. This button replaces the five altars with
rows of pews that rise out of the ground.
Button 3. This causes the walls and doors between
rooms 6, 3, and 2 to retract into the side walls,
effectively creating one huge chamber.
Button 4. Creates zones of magical silence with a
5-foot radius centered on each altar.
Button 5. Causes anvils and lit furnaces to spring
out of the tops of the altars.
Button 6. Causes a large stationary doorframe to
appear 3 feet up on the rotating southern wall. A
short staircase rises up from the ground to meet the
doorframe. Any creature that touches the wall
within the doorframe is teleported to doorway 8A.
The Right-hand Dial. Turning this knob alters the
brightness of the room’s lighting.
The Left-hand Dial. This dial has been broken off
and hidden in the mouth of one of the corpses in the
chamber. If the dial is reattached with a mending
spell, it can be used to slow the deadly spinning of
area 8 to safe levels.
TREASURE
The bloodstained pockets and coinpurses of the
room’s corpses contain 5 sp and 38 cp between
them. Moving the bodies around the room dislodges
the missing dial to the High Altar from one of the
corpse’s mouths.
Saying the word “Reflection” near the door makes
it slide open. The door closes automatically after one
minute.
GIVING CLUES
A character succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence check
will notice that the last two lines of the poem are
unlike the others. “Worked out” and “cast in doubt”
suggest there is an anagram in the riddle. Perhaps
the letters of the answer appear somewhere in the
poem?
If the party gets truly stuck here, let them move
on: the Temple’s layout allows the entire dungeon
to be explored without cracking this riddle.
7. THE VESTRY
This chamber contains several chairs and cabinets,
and a long low workbench on the far wall. On the
southern wall is a large mirror. Though the cabinets
once held priests’ robes, they have long since
decomposed.
SECRET DOOR
The mirror on the southern wall is hinged on one
side, and can be opened outwards to reveal the stone
wall behind. While the wall behind appears solid, it
radiates conjuration magic. A creature that touches
the wall is instantly teleported to doorway 8B.
Noticing the hinge mechanism requires a successful
DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
TREASURE
On the workbench is a beautiful hand mirror worth
100 gp, along with sets of Tinker’s Tools, Smith’s
Tools, and Jeweler’s Tools.

9
8. THE OUTER SANCTUM
This circular room is dimly lit, and rotates
anticlockwise at incredible speed. A domed stone
structure with an arched entrance occupies the
center of the room, rotating slowly clockwise. Two
wooden doorframes occupy the curved northern
section of wall, but stand fixed in space and do not
rotate with the rest of the room.
HAZARD
The spinning of this chamber creates deadly levels
of centrifugal force. Roll initiative when a creature
first enters this area. When a creature moves into
the Outer Sanctum or starts its turn there, that
creature must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving
throw or be flung backward to the outer wall and
restrained. A creature that fails by 5 or more suffers
one level of exhaustion. Each level of exhaustion
gained in this way lasts until the creature finishes a
short or long rest. Entering the doorway to area 9 on
foot requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. A creature that has
prayed to Tesh-Yatra within the last 8 hours has
advantage on all ability checks and saving throws
made in this room.
Exiting the Chamber. A creature may exit the
chamber by spending 5 feet of movement and
touching the wall inside either of the stationary
door frames on the outer wall. Moving through
either doorway requires a successful DC 8 Dexterity
saving throw. Doorway 8A leads to the southern
edge of area 6; doorway 8B leads to area 7.
9. THE INNER SANCTUM
From the outside, this unlit chamber appears to be
spinning; however, this movement cannot be felt at
all on the inside. The stone walls of this chamber
have been polished to a mirror shine. Illuminating
the room with any bright light causes characters to
see their own reflections in the walls. A prayer mat
lies on the ground in front of a small stone statue on
a plinth. The plinth bears a short inscription.
THE PLINTH
The four-armed statue on this plinth is enchanted
so that each creature that sees it perceives it to be of
its own race. Its arms hold a chisel, a carpenter’s
square, a drop spindle, and a stylus.
The Reels. Set into the plinth are 10 reels, each reel
containing the numbers 0 to 9. The reels can clearly
be turned by hand. The reels on the plinth are part of
an enchantment that sequesters the Amulet of Tesh-
Yatra (see Appendix A) in a pocket dimension. The
amulet is conjured from this dimension if the reels
10
are turned to the correct combination, appearing
looped around the base of the statue. There is one
correct number combination, which changes every
minute. A creature that enters an incorrect
combination on the reels is magically aged 1d4
years.
Inscription. Below the dials, the following words
are inscribed:
Revealing the Amulet. If a creature in the room
can see their own reflection, they may ask their
reflection the combination for the reels on the
plinth. Their reflection knows the combination, and
answers truthfully.
Giving Clues. A character succeeding on a DC 15
Intelligence check realizes that the first line of the
inscription could allude to an earlier inscription in
the Temple. Alternatively, a character with
proficiency in Perception might notice markings on
the wall where sconces might once have been
attached. If the room is lit, a character’s reflection
might shoot them a sly wink.
On the other hand, if it isn’t crucial to your story
that the party obtains the amulet, then it’s no great
disaster if the party fails here. There are always
other magic items out there, and this way no one
has to fight the skorverra!
B1. BASEMENT LEVEL
The basement level of the Temple is lit by two
sconces situated at the junction of the three
corridors. The east and west staircases connect to
the secret stairwells in area 2.
B1A. PIT TRAP
This area is dimly lit. The floor of area B1A is 10 feet
lower than the rest of this level. A ladder connects
the two levels, while a wall of iron bars containing a
locked gate separates this area from the rest of the
basement. Picking the lock requires a successful DC
14 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Bending the
bars requires a successful DC 14 Strength check.
CREATURE
The pit contains a gelatinous cube. Characters that
slip off the spiral ramp in area 1 land inside the ooze.
TREASURE
Inside the gelatinous cube are 12 gp, a suit of
chainmail, two daggers, and a longsword.
APPENDIX A: MAGIC
ITEMS
“The sculptor sees the beauty of rough, unworked stone.
They know that perfection already exists within,
awaiting their patience and skill.
So too may the smith see the beauty of the ingot; the
weaver, of the yarn; and the teacher, the layman.”

*Inscription on the Amulet of Tesh-Yatra

THE AMULET OF TESH-YATRA

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
This magical amulet is made of several moving cogs
and gears set around a shard of bone. When held to
your ear, it gives off a faint ticking sound. While
holding the amulet, you can cast the mending
cantrip.
The amulet has three charges. While holding it,
you can use an action to cast one of the following
spells from it (save DC 16): heat metal (1 charge) or
dominate monster (constructs only, 10 minute
duration, 3 charges). Constructs normally immune
to charm are not considered immune to dominate
monster when cast using this amulet.
In addition, if you spend ten minutes handling
one cubic foot of raw materials, you can expend two
charges to convert the materials into products of the
same material, as with the fabricate spell. If
constructing the product requires proficiency with
artisans’ tools, you are considered to be proficient
with the required tools while using the amulet in
this way.
The amulet regains all expended charges at dawn.
If you expend the last charge, you must make a DC
18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, your
alignment changes to neutral. A greater restoration
or dispel evil and good spell ends this effect.

11
APPENDIX B: MAIMER
MONSTERS In order to increase the pace of golem production,
the Sect of Tesh-Yatra built the maimers: gaunt,
eyeless humanoids with long claws for
Further background for the iron cobra and meazel dismembering and disemboweling bodies into their
can be found in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. The respective parts.
maw demon can be found in Volo’s Guide to Monsters. In the years that have passed since their creation,
however, the maimers’ overstretched skin has dried
A NOTE ON MONSTER and tightened. Their programming has likewise

MINIATURES deteriorated: no longer able to distinguish the living

from the dead, maimers pose a volatile danger to
If you play D&D on a battlemap and are looking for the unwary adventurer.
an appropriate mini for the skorverra, you could try
searching for miniatures of similar spherical
metallic terrors: the gearkeeper construct from the
Medium construct, unaligned
Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount; or the mytholabe
from Kobold Press’s Creature Codex. The maimer, Armor Class 14
meanwhile, bears an aesthetic similarity to the Hit Points 41 (9d8)
boneclaw from Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. Speed 30 ft.

IRON COBRA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)

Damage Resistances necrotic

Medium construct, unaligned Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Armor Class 13 Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Perception 11
Speed 30 ft. Languages understands Gnomish but can’t speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 1 (-5)
Menacing Presence. Each creature of the maimer’s choice that
starts its turn within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
Skills Stealth +7 saving throw or become frightened for one minute. A creature can
Damage Immunities poisoned; bludgeoning, piercing, and repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine effect on a success. On a successful saving throw, the creature is
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, immune to the maimer’s Menacing Presence for 24 hours.
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands Gnomish but can’t speak
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
Challenge 4 (1100 XP)
10 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than
an undead or construct, it starts bleeding, taking 2d6 necrotic
Magic Resistance. The iron cobra has advantage on saving
damage at the start each of its turns. As an action, a creature
throws against spells and other magical effects.
within 5 feet of the target can staunch the bleeding by succeeding
on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6
(1d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer one
random poison effect:
1. Poison Damage: The target takes 13 (3d8) poison damage.
2. Confusion: On its next turn, the target must use its action to
make one weapon attack against a random creature it can see
within 30 feet of it, using whatever weapon it has in hand and
moving beforehand if necessary to get in range. If it’s holding
no weapon, it makes an unarmed strike. If no creature is visible
within 30 feet, it takes the Dash action, moving toward the
nearest creature.
3. Paralysis: The target is paralyzed until the end of its next turn.

12
MAW DEMON MEAZEL
Usually native to the Shadowfell, meazels will leave
their lairs to inflict pain upon creatures that venture
Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
too close to their domain. The meazel in this
adventure is without its shortsword attack, having
Armor Class 13 been disarmed by its fiendish captors.
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Medium humanoid (meazel), neutral evil
14 (+2) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 5 (-3) 8 (-1) 5 (-3)
Armor Class 13
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning Hit Points 35 (10d8 - 10)
Damage Immunities poison Speed 30 ft.
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Languages understands Abyssal but can’t speak 8 (-1) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
Rampage. When it reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
melee attack on its turn, the maw demon can take a bonus action Languages Common
to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack. Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the meazel can

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 take the Hide action as a bonus action.
(2d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Garrote. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target of

the meazel’s size or smaller. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage,
and the target is grappled (escape DC 12 with disadvantage). Until
the grapple ends, the target takes 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning
damage at the start of each of the meazel’s turns. The meazel
can’t make weapon attacks while grappling a creature in this way.
Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5–6). The meazel, any
equipment it is wearing or carrying, and any creature it is
grappling teleport to an unoccupied space within 500 feet of it,
provided that the starting space and the destination are in dim
light or darkness. The destination must be a place the meazel has
seen before, but it need not be within line of sight. If the
destination space is occupied, the teleportation leads to the
nearest unoccupied space.
Any other creature the meazel teleports becomes cursed by
shadow for 1 hour. Until the curse ends, every undead and every
creature native to the Shadowfell within 300 feet of the cursed
creature can sense it, which prevents that creature from hiding
from them.

13
SKORVERRA
The craftsmen of Tesh-Yatra loved to include
motion and symmetry in their creations. The
skorverra is the perfect marriage of both: a spherical
bronze sculpture made of many concentric rings
that whirl and rotate in meditative silence.
Yet its mesmerizing display hides a darker
purpose. Fiercely protective of the Amulet of Tesh-
Yatra, the Sect’s artificers built the skorverra as a
defense system. The construct’s bronze rings have
been sharpened to a razor’s edge, and the air around
it bristles with static electricity. Many a would-be
thief has pondered the skorverra’s design; to date,
none have seen its true power and survived.
Keeper of the Amulet. The skorverra is built to
protect the Amulet of Tesh-Yatra, and is immune its
powers. It only animates if the amulet is carried
beyond the threshold of the Great Hall, or in self-
defense. It will attack anyone hostile to it, but
focuses its force on the bearer of the Amulet. The
skorverra will prioritize retrieving the Amulet over
chasing down fleeing enemies. If attacked first,
however, the skorverra shows no mercy.
Transdimensional Transport. If the Amulet of
Tesh-Yatra is not being worn or carried, the
skorverra can enter the amulet’s space and conduct
a 1-minute ritual to teleport it to the pocket
dimension in area 9.
Central Control System. If the skorverra platform
has been lowered using one of the Temple’s control
panels, the skorverra can use its Ordained Protector
ability to raise the platform.
Constructed Nature. A skorverra doesn’t require
air, food, drink, or sleep.
14
Large construct, unaligned
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 5 (-3) 14 (+1) 1 (-5)
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison, psychic, lightning
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 11
Languages understands Common and Gnomish but can’t speak
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Immutable Form. The skorverra is immune to any spell or
effect that would alter its form.
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the skorverra is subjected to
lightning damage, it recharges its dynamo ability.
Magic Resistance. The skorverra has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Ordained Protector. The skorverra is immune to the abilities
of the Amulet of Tesh-Yatra. As a bonus action, the skorverra can
lock or unlock one door within 30 feet of it. Picking the lock of a
door locked in this way requires a successful DC 14 Dexterity check
using Thieves’ Tools. This effect ends if the skorverra is
incapacitated.
Whirling Blades. A creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of
the skorverra takes 1d4 slashing damage.
Multiattack. The skorverra makes three arm blade attacks.
Arm Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Dynamo (Recharge 5–6). The skorverra’s movements
accelerate and lightning arcs from its core. Three creatures of the
skorverra’s choice within 5 feet, or one creature within 30 feet,
must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6
lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.