Crystal Skull Dungeon

A little old-school oneshot adventure

By Dr. Lugh

Hook
"A mysterious stranger approached you at the village tavern, you accepted to retrieve a Crystal Skull for him
in exchange of 500gp, an hefty sum. Being broke, you accept despite the risks. He gives you a map to the
dungeon entrance and tells you he will be waiting for you in the inn. He also gives you a small chest to put
the Crystal Skull in, telling you it's important to keep the skull in it."

The party starts at the entrance of a dungeon, on the side of a huge mountain.

Map:
Exit

The crevasse

L5

L4

L2 L3

L1

Entrance
Locations
Entrance
The entrance has been broken in. Tracks can be seen.
On the door is inscribed a stylized skull surrounded by 5 regular polygons (triangle to hexagon) and
writing in an angular script nobody can decypher.

The 10” wide corridor descends deep down into the mountain, 15 minutes walk to L1.

L1: The Hexagon Room

After one of the many bends in the corridor, they see a hint of faint light.
There’s a door, ajar.

The door reveals a big hexagonal room. There’s debris everywhere and many “columns” from the ceiling.
From the base some of those columns they can see remains of previous explorers, pieces of shattered
armor and shield.

Two doors on the far left and far right sides have been recently barred with debris from this side. Both
doors are unlocked, untrapped and do open inwards. Left door goes down to L2, Right door down to L3.

The light comes from a makeshift fire, sitting around it are 2 kobolds and 2 orcs. Another kobold is
hidden and standing guard, roll to see if he raises the alarm or if the party can surprise the enemy.u

The door is open, they enter and find a camp in the first hall.
Encounter:
3x Kobold
2x Orc
Encounter Total XP: 275 Adjusted XP: 550 Medium

Treasure
22sp, 50cp
5 trinkets:
• a rabbit foot
• a diary written in a language you don’t know
• an ancient arrow of elven design
• a fan that, when unfolded, shows a sleeping cat
• a bag containing 47 humanoid teeth, one of which is rotten
1 Potion of healing
1 Potion of climbing

L2: The Circle Room

Another 10 minutes walk brings the party to a big, simple circular maze with 5 concentric layers and
alternate entrances for each one offset by at least 90 degrees.
In the center, a minotaur skeleton guards a spiral staircase leading down to L4.

Encounter
1x Minotaur Skeleton
Encounter Total XP: 450 Adjusted XP: 450 Medium

Treasure
Great Axe of Force, deals force damage instead of slashing damage.
On a critical hit, the target must pass a DC 20 Athletics check or be pushed prone 10 feet away.

L3: The Square Room

Descending 15 minutes into the corridor leads to a 15x15” square room. There are many metal spikes
coming from all directions and remains of pierced armor scattered around. Inspection finds triggered
pressure plates on the ground. No sign of bone, flesh or fabric, the PCs can notice that the place is
spotless clean. The spikes make this room difficult terrain to move around, but it’s easy to climb over high
in the room if needed. There’s an exit on the wall opposite the entrance

In the 10” corridor, lurks a gelatinous cube (10”^3), if spotted in time he can be avoided by climbing the
walls and passing over it (Checks: 1 DC 10 acrobatics, 1 DC 12 athletics, 1 DC 10 acrobatics per player).

Encounter
1x Gelatinous Cube
Encounter Total XP: 450 Adjusted XP: 450 Medium

Treasure
15gp, 60sp, 30cp

The corridor leads to L4

L4: The Triangle Room

Triangular blade darts are scattered everywhere. Pieces of torn armor and weapons lie in the ground.
Inspection finds triggered trip wires and slots in the walls from which the blades shoot. No sign of bone,
flesh or fabric, the pc can notice the place is spotless clean.

The room has a 3 doors, one on each side:

• coming up from L2, wide ajar.
• coming up from L3, closed.
• going down to L5, locked (easy), untrapped.

Treasure
They find a magic staff. TODO. Staff of healing

L5: The Pentagon Room

The room contains a central pillar, on top of which there is a vault-shaped lid.
At the base of the pillar lies a mimic disguised as a chest. If they touch it, the mimic attacks.

Encounter
1x Mimic
Encounter Total XP: 450 Adjusted XP: 450 Medium
The crystal skull is on the pillar, under the vault shaped lid. DC 10 magic aura can be detected. DC 20
notice a pressure plate under the skull. To get the skull safely the party need to swap it with something
weighting 12 pounds, disarming the trap fails if no weight is placed, if weight is put too late (DC 20
dexterity check) or if the weight is not in the 11-13 pounds range. A player can estimate the weight with
a DC 17 investigation check. If the roll is lower than 10, the player will have no idea. A roll between 10
and 16 will give an esteem of 12 plus the difference between the roll and 17, in pounds. Dwarves have
advantage on the roll.
The trap makes the entrance collapse and the room starts filling with water. Use the timer. The only exit
is a hidden hatch (DC 15 perception) on the wall 20 feet high, next to the ceiling.

Treasure
The Crystal Skull.
The Identify spell can reveal that this skull has necromantic powers. It allows the casting of the 8th level
spell Clone (materials must be provided). It also reveal that the Skull is somehow protected and linked to
this chamber (Does not reveal that the specter is the protection).

The specter
If at anytime the PCs exit this room with the Crystal Skull and it is not contained in the protective chest, a
Specter appears from the direction of this room and attack the PCs. This also happens if the chest is
opened in a 5-miles radius from this room.

1x Specter
Encounter Total XP: 200 Adjusted XP: 200 Easy

The Crevasse
The hatch leads to a slide 100 ft down. They land safely on the edge of a crevasse. If a player don't move
out of the way for the next make a DC 10 saving throw to not get pushed toward the crevasse.
If the timer expired start pouring water from the slide to the crevasse. The stream pushes anyone in the
path toward the precipice (make a DC 15 saving throw)
MONSTER STATS
The Skeleton has a
Great Axe of Force, deals force damage instead of slashing damage.
On a critical hit, the target must pass a DC 20 Athletics check or be pushed prone 10 feet away