5

Characters

Level
3

Urban

Cat's Eye Curse

William Fischer

Introduction
A temple devoted to the goddess of cats hires the characters to
investigate a recent robbery. Rumors suggest the local thieves’
guild was behind the break in, but strangely the only item stolen
was the mummified body of Mahes, a lion purported to have been
the favored pet of the temple’s goddess.
Mini-Dungeon #240: Cat's Eye Curse
the alleyways around the safehouse. If the characters speak with
them (via a speak with animals spell, for example), the strays
struggle to explain their attraction to the area. (They are drawn
by the presence of Mahes’s remains.)
Secret Entrance. If asked about the safehouse’s residents,
one cat describes several humans delivering a box (Mahes’s
sarcophagus) through the secret door to Area 3. Without the cat’s

Edrice, a necromancer who plans to reanimate Mahes as her
personal guardian, hired the guild. When she arrived to receive
the lion, however, Edrice discovered the thieves had fallen victim
to an ancient curse. She now works to raise Mahes’s remains and
secure not only an undead feline, but a host of living ones as well.
Cat’s Eye Curse. When the cat goddess learned Mahes had been
stolen, she cursed the thieves with a variant of lycanthropy
known as the cat’s eye curse. Creatures subjected to the curse
must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw each evening at dusk.
On a failed save, the creature’s senses become as sharp as a
cat’s, granting them darkvision to a range of 60 feet and the Keen
Smell trait. On a second failed save, the creature transforms into
a weretiger. The cat’s eye curse is permanent unless ended by a
remove curse spell or similar magic.
Approaching the Safehouse. If the characters ask around about
the missing mummy, their investigation leads them to a safehouse
in the poorest district of the city. A preponderance of cats prowls
direction, discovering the secret door requires a successful DC
12 Intelligence (Investigation) check made to examine the wall
behind the barrels.
1. Porch
Two thieves’ guild members (as bandits) survey the street outside
the safehouse. Every 1d4 hours, a pair of bandits from Area 3
replaces them. The bandits are unfriendly but attack only if the
characters force their way into the safehouse.
The bandits are in the first stage of the cat’s eye curse, giving
them Keen Smell and darkvision with a range of 60 feet. A
character within 10 feet of a bandit can make a DC 13 Wisdom
(Perception) check. On a success, the character notices the
bandit’s catlike eyes.
2. Front Hall (Area 5). The books on the desk include Edrice’s spellbook and rare
tomes worth a total of 750 gp.
The safehouse’s front hall is divided into two parts. An expensive-
looking carpet covers the north half of the hall. The southern half is Treat Edrice as a mage. In place of ice storm and cone of cold, she has
empty save for a table turned onto its side, creating an impromptu prepared blight and dimension door. Edrice retreats grudgingly with
barricade to Area 3. dimension door to Area 5 if she has not heard combat from below.

Rug of Smothering. Edrice’s rug of smothering guards the Secret Door. A panel between the western bedrooms conceals
safehouse’s entrance while she works. The bandits know to avoid stairs leading to the attic (Area 5). Discovering the panel requires a
the rug and step around it when moving through the room. If alerted successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
by combat with the rug, the bandits from Area 3 investigate, firing
at intruders with their crossbows from behind the table. The table 5. Attic
grants the bandits half cover (+2 AC and Dexterity saving throws).
Empty crates and barrels line the eastern wall. In the southwest
3. Main Area corner rests a sarcophagus, its lid carved to depict a recumbent lion.

The safehouse’s main area is divided into a study, a dining area, and Edrice makes her final stand in this area. As combat begins, the cat
a storeroom. goddess animates Mahes to help the party defeat the necromancer.
Treat Mahes as a lion whose type is undead instead of beast.
Study. Papers cover desks in the southwest corner. A character that
makes a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers Conclusion
amongst the papers a letter signed by Edrice arranging for the theft
of Mahes’s remains. The other writings are mundane religious texts Once Edrice is defeated, Mahes retreats to the sarcophagus and
worth 50 gp to the cat goddess temple. returns to his eternal rest. Delivering Mahes to the temple of the cat
goddess ends the cat’s eye curse.
Dining Area. A table and cupboard fill this space. Unless alerted to
intruders, two bandits are found here. Should defeat seem inevitable, Edrice casts dimension door and flees
the safehouse. If the characters are forced to retreat, she instead
Storeroom. Divided amongst a pair of unlocked chests and a table completes the ritual to reanimate Mahes. In either case, Edrice seeks
on the southern wall are three potions of healing, a silvered, and a to punish the party for interfering with her plans. She watches from
collection of gems and art objects worth 625 gp. a distance, waiting for the perfect time to strike – perhaps with an
undead lion and a host of weretigers by her side!
The secret door on the east wall is obvious from this side. The secret
door on the east wall is obvious from this side.

4. Second Floor
A hall connecting four bedrooms spans the safehouse’s upper floor.

Northeast Bedroom. The bandits sleep in shifts in this bedroom.

Other than a bed and writing desk, the room is empty.

Southeast Bedroom. Once her research is complete, Edrice plans to

use the ritual circle painted on the floor to reanimate Mahes. For
now, the circle is nonmagical, although a character who makes a
successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check deduces its purpose.

Southwest Bedroom. The door to this bedroom is padlocked. Edrice

carries the padlock’s key. Without the key, the characters can pick
the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools
or break down the door with a successful DC 24 Strength check.

Geb, the leader of the bandits, is locked inside the room. The cat’s
eye curse has transformed him into a weretiger. If released, Geb
attacks in his hybrid form. Instead of weretiger lycanthropy, Geb’s
bite attack infects creatures with The Cat’s Eye Curse.

Northwest Bedroom. Edrice studies in this bedroom, researching

the ritual to reanimate Mahes. If she hears battle downstairs, she
releases Geb from the southwest bedroom and retreats to the attic

© 2022 AAW Games, LLC.

Author: William Fischer, Artist: Mates Laurentiu, Cartography: Sean MacDonald
Publisher: Jonathan G. Nelson, Editor: Thilo Graf, Günther Kronenberg, Layout: Roxanne Thompson

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) at adventureaweek.com/ogl, and are not Open Content: All trademarks,
registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the
public domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this AAW Games, LLC game product are Open Game Content, as
defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d) No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission.