Dungeon A Day: Keruxaphylax

Adventurers from across Altius have long dared the legendary dungeon known as "Keruxaphylax."

Arguably the most deadly entrance to "The Hollows," Keruxaphylax is home to many dangerous monsters and challenges, with each layer of its depths more arduous than the last. Heroes who aspire to greatness may find within untold riches, magical wonders, and ancient powers.

However, this place is not for the faint of heart. For once they enter, no one leaves Keruxaphylax without paying its toll...

1 - Keruxaphylax Entrance

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

You enter the great dungeon with a healthy hint of trepidation. Everyone knows that any entrance to "The Hollows" is fraught with danger, but among all openings to that yawning abyss, this particular chasm is known for taking lives. It's a simple fact that adventurers of all levels have long looked upon Keruxaphylax with a mixture of awe and anxiety.

At the very entrance to the great dungeon, a battle has long since been fought. Skeletons lie in the desert sand, their weapons rusting and forgotten.

Room Challenges

1. Skeletons: as many skeletons rise from the desert sands as there are members in the party. They grab their forgotten and rusted weapons, and attack.

Enemy Stats

Skeletons: "Weak" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level). Option to use the "Baseline AI." See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

2 - Shadowed Pallor

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

As you venture into the depths of Keruxaphylax, the air grows heavy without the wind from outside, and the walls seem to whisper. You can't quite make out specific words, but the whispers seem to have an urgency in them.

Shadows move across the walls, and you hope that it's only clouds from outside, dimming what small light there was from the dungeon's entrance.

Room Challenges

1. Shadowed Pallor: characters entering this room roll Resilience (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level). If they fail, they are affected by "Shadowed Pallor" as minor shadow spirits from the dungeon attach to them, and they have -3Intelligence for as long as they're in Keruxaphylax (or whenever they return, in the future).
2. Removing Shadowed Pallor: characters affected by "Shadowed Pallor" must roll Intelligence (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) to become aware of this effect. Once noticed, "Shadowed Pallor" may be removed with any dispel effect.

3 - Veil of Eternity

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

As you press forward, you come upon a chamber filled with two oaken chests. The room is silent, save for the faint creaking of the chests'  hinges, which are apparently moving, ever so slightly. Aside from the chests, this room is a dead end.

Room Challenges and Treasures

1. Mimic: a successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level) reveals that only one of the chest's hinges is creaking (the one on the left), revealing that chest to actually be a mimic, in disguise.
2. Veil of Eternity: within the second chest is a silver headband, with a black cloth hanging from its front. A successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level) reveals the item's name ("Veil of Eternity"), and that when worn, the wearer may spend 3-seconds (or 1turn in combat) to activate the Veil, becoming incorporeal for 3-seconds (or 1turn in combat). While incorporeal, the character may pass through solid objects. A Double-Success Fate Roll also reveals that using the Veil attracts nearby undead, as if it were a beacon to them.
3. Using the Veil of Eternity: regardless of whether or not characters get a Double-Success, learning about the Veil of Eternity's downside, with each use, they  call attract undead from any room in Keruxaphylax that you'd like (or from anywhere within 100-yards).

Enemy Stats

Mimic: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level), but with -3Speed. Option to use the "Assassin AI." See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

4 - The Gaping Hand

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

No light from the dungeon's entrance reaches this space - you're now, as some adventurers would say, officially committed.

The sand beneath your feet shifts uneasily. Suddenly, a monstrous reaches up from underground, its colossal size sending tremors through the room. The hand has a gaping mouth in its palm, filled with fangs and bloodied gums. It lunges towards you, hungering for flesh.

Room Challenges

1. The Gaping Hand: once disturbed, this hand will chase the party until they leave the dungeon, or until it's slain. Players have no way of knowing at this time, but this is one of the eight hands of Deiza, an undead colossus trapped within the dungeon's depths, and cursed to guard its treasures. Deiza's hands each act independently of one another, and of the main body.
2. Foreshadowing Deiza: if you want to fit Keruxaphylax into a larger campaign, you can have NPCs or story events drop info/ clues about the Gaping Hand or Deiza, prior to the party arriving at the dungeon.

Enemy Stats

The Gaping Hand: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, +1). Option to use the "Fallen Paladin AI." Whenever the Gaping Hand deals damage, it heals for that same damage dealt. The gaping hand can only be permanently slain using light or fire damage - any other type of damage that brings it to 0HP only Dazes the creature for 5-minutes, after which time it will heal to 1HP, then seek out and attack the party again. See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

5 - Towering Statue of the Divine Jackal

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Your eyes are drawn to a towering statue of a jackal which stands in a bit of a pointed alcove, its stone form exuding an aura of power. The jackal's eyes gleam just a bit in the light, and you have an eerie feeling like its eyes are following you.

The statue has pauldrons, armlets, a scepter, and a helmet of faded gold.

Room Challenges

1. Towering Statue of the Divine Jackal: a successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) reveals that any character who bows before this divine statue gains a temporary shadow aura (becoming immune to shadow damage, but also taking additional light damage), for 1-hour. A Double-Success Fate Roll also reveals that touching the statue (perhaps to take the ruby gemstone eyes, or pry off gold) instead triggers a powerful psychic attack on all characters in this room: roll Will (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level). If they fail, affected characters take 1light damage (deals 2light damage to shadow aura units).
2. Shadowed Pallor: if any party members are affected by "Shadowed Pallor" from elsewhere in the dungeon and enter this room, they automatically trigger the statue's psychic attack on all characters in the room.

6 - Fissure

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

A large fissure stretches across the floor, its depths unknown, though clearly quite far-reaching. The room's silence is broken occasionally by distant echoes coming from below. A cool breeze also emanates from the fissure. A large boulder is the only other notable part of this room.

(If players peer into the abyss, they can just make out glimpses of flickering torchlight.)

Room Challenges

1. Fissure: using the large boulder nearby as an anchor (for example), players may roll Initiative (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -2) to scale downwards into the next lower level of Keruxaphylax. *Note that Level 2 of Keruxaphylax is not shown on this page, and is its own upcoming dungeon! If you aren't ready to have players explore further you can have this downward passageway currently blocked by boulders that are too large to move.

7 - Demonic Talon

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Emerging from the sandy floors of this dungeon room is what appears to be some kind of large, demonic talon. Its rough, crimson edges pulsate with an unholy energy.

A sense of dread fills the room. You can almost hear the whispers of ancient incantations surrounding this... thing, whatever it is. The air around it is unsettling in similar ways to the whispers from earlier in the dungeon (dungeon room 2), that you couldn't quite make out.

Room Challenges

1. Crimson Pallor: characters entering this room roll Resilience (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level). If they fail, they are affected by "Crimson Pallor" as energies from the demonic nail attach to them, and they have -3Resilience for as long as they're in Keruxaphylax (or whenever they return, in the future).
2. Removing Crimson Pallor: characters affected by "Crimson Pallor" must roll Intelligence (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) to become aware of this effect. Once noticed, "Crimson Pallor" may be removed with any dispel effect.
3. Demonic Talon: characters without a shadow aura who touch the demonic nail roll Resilience (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +2). If they fail, all healing effects on the character have a 50% chance of failing, for 1-day duration. This effect may be removed with any critical dispel effect. Shadow aura units are immune to this effect.
4. Crimson Pallor and Shadowed Pallor: characters affected by either "Crimson Pallor" or "Shadowed Pallor" are automatically compelled to touch the Demonic Talon, so long as they remain within this dungeon room.

8 - The Colossal Hand

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

The room is dominated by a colossal hand. The hand begins to twitch upon your entrance. Its fingers curl into a fist and the air becomes heavy with a feeling of trepidation.

Room Challenges

1. The Colossal Hand: this massive hand is essentially dormant, but for occasional involuntary spasms. Any player who comes within 1space of the Colossal Hand must roll Dodge (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level). If they fail, they are grabbed, and take 1damage from the hand's crushing strength. After being grabbed, the character is immediately released, as from another spasm. Players have no way of knowing at this time, but this is one of the eight hands of Deiza, an undead colossus trapped within the dungeon's depths, and cursed to guard its treasures. Deiza's hands each act independently of one another, and of the main body.
2. Foreshadowing Deiza: if you want to fit Keruxaphylax into a larger campaign, you can have NPCs or story events drop info/ clues about the Gaping Hand or Deiza, prior to the party arriving at the dungeon.

Enemy Stats

The Colossal Hand: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, +1). Aside from the description above, the colossal hand may take no Actions. The colossal hand can only be permanently slain using shadow or ice damage - any other type of damage that brings it to 0HP only Dazes the creature for 5-minutes, after which time it will heal to 1HP. See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

9 - Shimmering Leaves of Etherea

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

You are greeted by a most welcome sight. Lush, vibrant plants fill the corner of this room, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal glow. The air is infused with a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, and narrow rays of light break through the dungeon's ceiling, carrying with them a gentle breeze from the outside.

Room Treasures

1. Shimmering Leaves of Etherea: there are two Etherea plants. When all the leaves from a single Etherea plant are boiled in water, it creates enough tea to heal +1HP and +1Wisdom to a character, when consumed. Characters may only benefit from one Etherea plant, per day.

10 - Ancient Stone

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Two pathways branch apart in this chamber, both leading only a short ways in, and are seemingly empty. As your eyes adjust, you can just make out a soft glow at the back of the path on the left.

Room Challenges

1. Ancient Stone: at the back of the left path are letters that glow ever-so-softly. These letters are in a language that none of the party has ever seen. A successful Faith roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) allows characters to reshape the letters into their own language, which now reads: "Touch the demon's talon with your left hand, and without fear. To conquer the dark powers of this dungeon, you must first conquer yourself." Deciphering the text lends the player who did so a temporary power over the "Demonic Talon" from dungeon room 7, allowing them the following benefits...
2. Power Over the Demonic Talon: the player gains complete immunity to all negative effects from the "Demonic Talon." Additionally, should they go back and touch the demonic talon with their left hand, they absorb power from it, giving them access to casting the "Necromancy" spell (vampire mage) three times. Once the demonic talon's power has been drained, it can no longer give this effect, and can no longer cast "Crimson Pallor," or cause characters who touch it to have reduced healing, for 1-week.

11 - The Scent of Damp Earth

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Your eyes are drawn to a small fissure that cuts through the floor. The air smells of damp earth, which is a surprise in this desert-like dungeon.

The boulders outline the fissure, their rough surfaces gleaming in the dim light of your (torches).

Room Challenges

1. Small Fissure: every thirteen days, this room floods with waters from a river that cuts far above the dungeon of Keruxaphylax, at the side of the mountain. The water drains through the fissure in this room, but leaves the area smelling damp. The river waters are somewhat blessed, however, and are therefore anathema to the dungeon's creatures; no monster or undead may chase the party into this room.
2. Flood: should you choose to have the players be unlucky enough to visit this room during a flood, they can escape before the waters become too terrible with a successful Dodge roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -1), or they are carried via the water's momentum to dungeon room 12, and take 1damage as they're slammed into the dungeon's walls by the heavy flow of water.

12 - Flooded Gemstones

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

This cramped chamber is adorned with gemstones scattered across the floor. (In the light, they create a mesmerizing mosaic of colors.)

Room Treasures

1. Gemstones: these gemstones have apparently washed into the room from the dungeon's occasional flooding. Each of these four gemstones (emerald, ruby, sapphire, and quartz) are worth the equivalent of 1Fortune (matches Avg. Party Level). A successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -3) reveals that each of these gemstones appears to have a sort of soul. A Double-Success Fate Roll also reveals that any character wearing the Veil of Eternity may "consume" the soul of one of these gemstones (and the gemstone itself) to automatically destroy an undead of that character's level or lower.

13 - Ghostly Skull

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

At the edge of this room rests the skull of what could have been a rather large ram, its horns twisted and gnarled. A haunting yet subtle shriek emanates from the skull, only to suddenly fall into an uncomfortable silence.

Room Challenges and Treasures

1. Ghostly Skull: if any character approaches the skull, it rises slowly into the air, now attached to some kind of ghostly, demonic body. The satyr-looking creature does not attack the party, but appears threatening. If the party does not get aggressive towards the ghostly skull, it does not attack them. A successful Inspiration roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -2) allows characters to catch the creature's attention, and speak with it, as it reveals itself to be "Colivil, the Ram god."
2. Colivil, the Ram god: this creature, it turns out, is  a prisoner of the dungeon. It's physical body perished here, but its spirit is held captive in the dungeon levels below. If the party is able to free him, Colivil will repay them by revealing the location of his fabled weapon, "the demon halberd, Vakeld." After giving that message, Colivil's spirit seems to fade as if weakened from the interaction, until only his outline remains. *Note that Level 2 of Keruxaphylax is not shown on this page, and is its own upcoming dungeon!
3. Demon Halberd, Vakeld: if desired, you may have Colivil may share with the party - before freeing him - that the demon halberd, Vakeld, is located within the "Demon's Talon" in dungeon room 7. If players shatter the demon's talon by touching it directly with their bare hands and speaking the words, "I invoke the powers of Vakeld," they will acquire the weapon. This weapon deals shadow damage and grants its wielder the "Oathbreaker" ability, and its "Blood Healing" critical option (fallen paladin). It's not as if Colivil is using the weapon, and he may feel that giving to the party in advance may help win them over.

Enemy Stats

Ghostly Skull: "Weak" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, -2). Option to use the "Baseline AI." See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

14 - Amulet of Shattered Time

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

A single boulder resides in this room, between the wall and another sort of dividing column.

Room Treasures

1. Single Boulder: if characters inspect the room, a slight glimmer catches their eye, beneath the boulder's far side. A successful Strike Bonus roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) allows a character to move the boulder, revealing the Amulet of Shattered Time in a small crevice, underneath.
2. Amulet of Shattered Time: a hefty, golden, three-quarters moon attached to a fine, golden chain necklace. The chain only connects to the moon on one end, with the other end floating in space, yet somehow still functioning as if it were connected to the moon - invisibly? No amount of inspecting coaxes any useful information out of this artifact, which for all intents and purposes, may be "past its expiration date."

15 - Ghostly Passageway

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

A chilling sensation washes over you. Without warning, an otherworldly force assaults you.

Room Challenges

1. Specter: the first character entering this room rolls Resilience (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +4). This dungeon trap is virtually unavoidable, but temporary. A character affected by this trap turns into a specter (a ghost) and slowly begins to float away (towards dungeon room 18, moving at 4Speed per turn) without any way to stop themselves.
   

16 - Power Over the Undead

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

The room is devoid of notable features, save for the pathway that continues on, leading to different parts of the dungeon.

Room Challenges

1. Quicksand: characters entering this room roll Dodge (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level) or they fall into quicksand. Characters caught in the quicksand can only pull themselves out with a successful Initiative roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1). Every 3-turns, and with every failed attempt at pulling themselves out, characters fall 1-foot deeper into the quicksand. Characters whose heads become submerged roll Resilience (Fate Roll -10) every turn (Fate Roll increases +5 per turn). If they fail, they take 1damage, from lack of oxygen. Characters not caught in the quicksand may roll Initiative (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -2) to pull other characters out from the quicksand.

17 - Shimmering Etherea Plants

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

You are greeted by a most welcome sight. Lush, vibrant plants fill the corner of this room, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal glow. The air is infused with a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, and narrow rays of light break through the dungeon's ceiling, carrying with them a gentle breeze from the outside.

Room Treasures

1. Shimmering Leaves of Etherea: there are three Etherea plants. When all the leaves from a single Etherea plant are boiled in water, it creates enough tea to heal +1HP and +1Wisdom to a character, when consumed. Characters may only benefit from one Etherea plant, per day.

18 - Malevolent Wraith

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

In the center of this chamber, a wraith materializes, its ethereal form radiating malevolence. Its hollowed eyes are filled with a hunger that unnerves you.

Room Challenges

1. Malevolent Wraith: this creature craves to devour souls of the living, and immediately attacks. Any character who was turned into a "specter" from dungeon room 16 regains their normal body, but becomes temporarily possessed by the malevolent wraith, and must follow its every command, until the malevolent wraith is slain. The wraith will try tempting the party to follow it to dungeon room 19 (where a trap awaits them), throughout the battle.

Enemy Stats

Malevolent Wraith: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, +1). Option to use the "Vampire Mage AI." All of the malevolent wraith's attacks deal shadow damage. Upon starting the battle, it also releases a bone-chilling aura, which has the same effect on all targets within 8Range as an Instant Action "Frozen Blast" spell (cryomancer).  See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

19 - Spiked Pit

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

This small passageway is cramped and dark. Through the thin passageway, you can just make out the other sides of the path, connecting you further into the dungeon.

Room Challenges

1. Spiked Pit: once two or more characters set foot in this room (about 300lbs), it triggers a trap. Affected characters roll Dodge (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level). If they fail, the floor suddenly gives out, casting those characters into a spiked pit, where they take 2damage. A successful Initiative or Strike Bonus roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -1) allows characters to climb out of the spiked pit.

20 - Crumbling Statue of the Divine Jackal

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

This room contains a towering, yet crumbling statue of a jackal, which would once have been imposing, and seems previously to have  blocked the room's various intersecting passageways. Now, however, the status is shoved back and broken, allowing free movement through the connecting tunnels.

The statue has pauldrons and armlets of faded gold. One of its arms is missing, and most of its head has been broken off.

Room Challenges

1. Crumbling Statue of the Divine Jackal: a successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) reveals that the first character who bows before this divine statue gains a temporary shadow aura (becoming immune to shadow damage, but also taking additional light damage), for 1-hour. Afterwards, this statue loses the last bit of its magical aura, and becomes as a normal rock.
2. Faded Gold: the faded gold pauldrons and armlets may be pried loose, and are in total worth the equivalent of 4Fortune (matches Avg. Party Level).
   

21 - Lava Flux Core

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Your eyes are drawn to a small boulder in the room's center. As you approach, you notice faint, pulsating runes etched into the surface of the dungeon's floor, in a circle around the boulder.

Room Challenges

1. Arcane Runes: a successful Faith roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +3) allows characters to dispel the runes, which currently anchor the boulder the ground, making it impossible to lift. Beneath the boulder (once the runes have been dispelled) lies a Lava Flux Core.
2. Lava Flux Core: a successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level) reveals the item's name (Lava Flux Core), and the following information: This treasure is all that remains of the once-great mortal flux core, Atumatzu, from before the “Mirror Incident.” These cores are highly sought-after by entire nations both for their usefulness, and as a preventative measure against them falling into the wrong hands… If this core is ever broken it explodes in a lava-infused, fiery blaze in all directions for ¼ Mile Range (dealing 8damage to all affected targets), and allows demons (chaos flux cores) to enter Altius. The portal can only be reversed with the presence of a Glacial Core. A successful Will roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +4) protects characters from taking damage from the Lava Flux Core's initial blast.

22 - The Gaping Hand Two

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

From between two rock columns, you hear the reverberations of some crunching sound. As light touches the thing, it shifts slightly, revealing itself to be a monstrous hand with a gaping mouth in its palm, filled with fangs and bloodied gums. It lunges towards you, hungering for flesh.

Room Challenges

1. The Gaping Hand: once disturbed, this hand will chase the party until they leave the dungeon, or until it's slain. Players have no way of knowing at this time, but this is one of the eight hands of Deiza, an undead colossus trapped within the dungeon's depths, and cursed to guard its treasures. Deiza's hands each act independently of one another, and of the main body.
2. Foreshadowing Deiza: if you want to fit Keruxaphylax into a larger campaign, you can have NPCs or story events drop info/ clues about the Gaping Hand or Deiza, prior to the party arriving at the dungeon.

Enemy Stats

The Gaping Hand: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, +1). Option to use the "Fallen Paladin AI." Whenever the Gaping Hand deals damage, it heals for that same damage dealt. The gaping hand can only be permanently slain using light or fire damage - any other type of damage that brings it to 0HP only Dazes the creature for 5-minutes, after which time it will heal to 1HP, then seek out and attack the party again. See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

23 - Soul's Price

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

A very large boulder occupies this room. Appearing dull at first, as light hits its various edges and angles, it casts off mesmerizing colored hues, in every direction. Even from this distance, you can clearly tell that the boulder isn't made of gemstones, but it does reflect light as if it were.

For some reason, a sort of invisible barrier prevents you from passing through this room. You may approach the boulder from the direction of the room that you entered, but you may not move to a different side.

Room Challenges

1. Soul Gems: if a character holding one of the gemstones from dungeon room 12 makes a successful Inspiration roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, -1), the gemstone(s) they carry begin speaking to them. If characters didn't already know, it now becomes apparent that the gemstones from dungeon room 12 hold souls. The souls contained within these gemstones are fearful of the boulder, and do not wish to be near it. Aside from this knowledge, they seem unable to share more.
2. Soul's Price: if a character holding one of the gemstones from dungeon room 12 gets within 2Spaces of the mesmerizing boulder, a sharp cry comes from their gemstone, and an ethereal, golden light briefly shines from the gemstone, towards the boulder. Once this happens, the invisible barriers in the room are lifted, so that all characters may pass through, unhindered.

24 - Skeletal Ambush

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

The sand beneath your feet stirs. Suddenly, skeletal figures emerge from the sandy floors, sand pouring from their skulls, bones, and armor. They lunge toward you.

Room Challenges

1. Skeletons: as many skeletons rise from the desert sands as there are members in the party, and attack.

Enemy Stats

Skeletons: "Weak" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level). Option to use the "Baseline AI." See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details. 

25 - Yawning Fissure

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

This chamber is marked by a large fissure that opens before you. Looking down, this clearly appears to be a gateway to the lower levels of Keruxaphylax.

Room Challenges

1. Fissure: players may roll Initiative (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level) to scale downwards into the next lower level of Keruxaphylax. *Note that Level 2 of Keruxaphylax is not shown on this page, and is its own upcoming dungeon! If you aren't ready to have players explore further you can have this downward passageway currently blocked by boulders that are too large to move.

26 - Key of Frost

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

You find a small, cramped room along what could be the dungeon's outer edge.  As you scan the room, your eyes settle on a peculiar sight - a solitary, ornate key laying in the sand. The key glimmers with a soft blue for a brief moment.

Room Treasures

1. Key of Frost: the key's silver base is adorned with snowflake patterns. Delicate ice crystals lace their way across its length. No information can be gleaned about this key. There are also no evident powers to the key - it is simply ornate and beautiful. 

27 - Blessed Space

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

The atmosphere in this tiny space feels light, almost as if it had been blessed with a divine presence. Undoubtedly, this is the first time since setting foot in Keruxaphylax that you've felt something like this; you can't help but feel a sense of safety and tranquility.

Room Treasures

1. Blessed Space: for reasons unknown, no monster or undead may chase the party into this room. This is a truly protected space within Keruxaphylax where characters may rest and be safe for any amount of time.

28 - The Floodgates

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Etchings fill two relatively small boulders in this room. The first reads: "We've tried freeing the spirits of the boulder. The best way we've found is to flood the crystalline thing with water. Strangely, gemstones break off, and scatter throughout the dungeon; these gemstones contain souls. But from there, no luck - we've only succeeded in entrapping the souls into another prison."

The message continues to the second, smaller boulder: "Once every 130-days, the flooding grows so substantial that it can be redirected through a series of aquifers in the ceiling. That's how we did it. To free yourself from this dungeon, you must first free others."

Room Challenges

1. Floodgates: should you choose to have the players be present in Keruxaphylax during an active flood from dungeon room 11, they can redirect the waters via aquifers in the ceiling, using the "Kingly Statue of the Divine Jackal" in dungeon room 29. Doing so releases massive amounts of water in dungeon room 23, creating more gemstones with souls contained within them (as the rushing waters shave off more of the boulder), which eventually get caught up in dungeon room 12. How water turns a gemlike boulder into actual gemstones - which also contain souls - is not decipherable by the players at this time.
   

29 - The Granite Throne

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

This room contains another towering jackal statue, but one of much more ornate design. It has veins of golden marble running through it, and embellishing its headdress, and accentuating its carved clothing. It has two sinister-looking eye sockets, but nothing within them but a hollow space.

Adjacent to the statue is an ornate throne of granite. This also has the same kind of golden marble running in streaks through its base and back, and at each corner.

Room Challenges and Treasures

1. Kingly Statue of the Divine Jackal: if characters bow before the statue, it unfurls its crossed arms, revealing the "Torch of Holy Light" within its chest cavity, which the players may take. The torch burns with a bright, golden flame.
2. Crimson Pallor and Shadowed Pallor: if any party members are affected by either "Crimson Pallor" or "Shadowed Pallor" from elsewhere in the dungeon, the statue will not open to reveal the "Torch of Holy Light," so long as those character(s) are within this dungeon room.
3. The Granite Throne: a successful Intelligence roll (Fate Roll Difficulty matches Avg. Party Level, +1) worth the equivalent of 2Fortune (matches Avg. Party Level). If a player wearing the "Veil of Eternity" or the "Amulet of Shattered Time" sits upon the throne, a keyhole forged of sapphire appears in the boulder on the left side of this room.
4. Keyhole Forged of Sapphire: if a player places the "Key of Frost" into this keyhole while flooding is occurring in dungeon room 11, this key will temporarily freeze the overhead aquifers, sending a flood into dungeon room 23. See the explanation of "Floodgates" from dungeon room 27 for more details of what happens next.

30 - Malevolent Wraith Guardian

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

In the center of this chamber, a wraith materializes, its ethereal form radiating malevolence. Its hollowed eyes are filled with a hunger that unnerves you.

Room Challenges

1. Malevolent Wraith: this creature craves to devour souls of the living, and immediately attacks.
2. Torch of Holy Light: if a character wields this torch from dungeon room 29, it instantly sears the wraith with divine fire, dealing 2damage.

Enemy Stats

Malevolent Wraith: "Hero" enemy Difficulty (match Avg. Party Level, +1). Option to use the "Vampire Mage AI." All of the malevolent wraith's attacks deal shadow damage. Upon starting the battle, it also releases a bone-chilling aura, which has the same effect on all targets within 8Range as an Instant Action "Frozen Blast" spell (cryomancer).  See the Dungeon A Day - Enemy Stats and AI page for more details.

31 - Brazier of Holy Light

Room Description (Read the Following Text to Your Players)

Markings of the eternal Hy-Rasyl are all about this small room. Before you awaits a magnificent brazier, crafted from pure gold.

Room Challenges and Treasures

1. Holy Brazier: if a character lights the brazier using the "Torch of Holy Light" from dungeon room 29, the brazier sinks into the floor, leaving in its place a thin and steep circular stairway down. *Note that Level 2 of Keruxaphylax is not shown on this page, and is its own upcoming dungeon! If you aren't ready to have players explore further you can have the passageway down blocked by other magic that the party must first solve through some other means in your campaign.