This adventure is designed for a party of 3rd–5th level characters in Castles & Crusades. It leans heavily into the "Decadence and Decay" tropes of the genre.
Adventure Hook: The Gilded Withdrawal
The decadent Satrap of Zul-Bazzar is dying. His addiction to the Black Lotus has withered his soul, and the city’s supply has run dry. Rumors speak of the Tomb of Queen Xylanthia, a sorceress-queen of the Silk Age, who was buried with a "Living Bloom" that never dies. The players are hired (or blackmailed) to enter her sand-choked sepulcher and retrieve the blossom.
The Tomb Environment
The Air: Thick with a sweet, cloying perfume that causes mild euphoria.
The Walls: Made of polished obsidian that reflects torchlight like deep water.
The Curse: Any character who sleeps within the tomb must make a CL 6 Wisdom Save or lose the ability to distinguish dreams from reality (effectively "Confused" for $1d4$ hours upon waking).
Key Locations
1. The Hall of Petals
The entrance is a massive bronze door shaped like a lotus. It has no keyhole.
The Puzzle: The door only opens if "fed" a memory. A player must recount a significant character backstory event aloud. The door "drinks" the sound, and the PC loses that memory (mechanically: they cannot benefit from their Charisma Prime for 24 hours due to a sense of hollow loss).
2. The Gallery of the Lotus-Eaters
A long hallway lined with $1d10+4$ Zombies dressed in ancient, rotted silks.
The Twist: They are not aggressive. they wander aimlessly, sniffing the air. If the players carry any Black Lotus (from the Alchemical tables), the zombies will attack with a mindless, starving frenzy.
3. The Alchemical Refectory
A laboratory filled with green glass vats.
The Hazard: One vat is cracked, leaking a Vapor of Amnesia (from your Alchemical Failures table).
The Loot: $1d4$ vials of Liquid Night and a scroll of Flesh-to-Salt.
4. The Garden of Veins
The center of the tomb. A massive, bioluminescent Black Lotus grows out of the chest of a giant, petrified titan.
The Guardian: The Petal-Wraith. This spirit uses the stats of a Wraith but its touch causes the "Time Dilation" side effect instead of level drain.
The Choice: To pluck the Living Bloom, a character must spill their own blood. This deals $1d12$ permanent HP damage (which can only be restored by a Greater Restoration or a wish-level miracle).
The Boss: Queen Xylanthia (Lich-Lite)
She is not fully undead, but "preserved" by the Lotus. She sits upon a throne of ivory, her skin translucent (Roll 85 on the side effects table).
Combat: She casts Mirror of Malice and Scream of the Banshee.
Dialogue: She offers the players a trade: the Bloom in exchange for the "brightest soul" in the party (the character with the highest Charisma). If they agree, that character becomes an NPC "Lotus-Eater" in her court.
Potential Rewards & Consequences
The Satrap’s Payment: 5,000gp in "blood rubies" (which are cursed to attract giant leeches).
The Taint: Anyone carrying the Living Bloom for more than a day must roll on the Black Lotus Side Effects table every morning.
The Forbidden Knowledge: Tucked behind the throne is the Grimoire of the Void, containing $1d6$ random Forbidden Spells.
In the spice-thick markets and shadow-drenched taverns of Zul-Bazzar, information is the only currency more valuable than the lotus itself.
Roll $1d20$ to see what the party overhears. Some of these are true, some are the delusions of addicts, and others are warnings from those who barely escaped with their lives.
D20 Rumors: The Tomb of the Black Lotus
Roll Rumor 1 (TRUE) The Queen was not buried alone; her "Silk Guard" was buried alive with her, and they still hunger for the scent of the living. 2 (FALSE) The Satrap doesn't want the Lotus for his health—he wants to burn it all at once to put the entire city into a permanent dream-state. 3 (TRUE) The doors of the tomb are made of "Thirsty Bronze." They don't want a key; they want a piece of your mind. 4 (PARTIAL) The nectar of the Living Bloom can bring back the dead. (In truth, it only creates a "Lotus-Zombie" that looks and talks like the deceased). 5 (TRUE) There is a room in the tomb where gravity is dead. If you let go of your equipment, it will drift into the dark ceiling and be lost. 6 (FALSE) Queen Xylanthia was a saint of mercy who was murdered by her greedy priests; her ghost will help anyone who kills the temple's remnants. 7 (TRUE) The "Living Bloom" is not a plant, but a parasite from the stars that crashed into the jungle eons ago. 8 (TRUE) If you smell the perfume of the inner sanctum for too long, your blood will turn to purple ichor and you can never leave. 9 (FALSE) The gold in the tomb is "Ghost Gold"—it disappears the moment it is touched by sunlight. 10 (PARTIAL) A great hero entered the tomb forty years ago and never came out. (He is still there, but he is now a mindless "Petal-Wraith"). 11 (TRUE) The Queen’s throne is made from the tusks of an elephant-god; it is worth a kingdom but carries a heavy curse of madness. 12 (TRUE) One of the Satrap’s eunuchs is actually a spy for a rival sorcerer who intends to ambush the party at the tomb’s exit. 13 (FALSE) You must hold your breath while in the tomb; the air itself is a poison that turns your bones into glass. 14 (TRUE) There is a secret passage behind a statue of a weeping ape that leads directly to the Alchemical laboratory. 15 (TRUE) The Queen can hear any whisper spoken within a mile of her sepulcher. Plan your heist in total silence. 16 (FALSE) The Black Lotus only grows in the dark; if you bring a torch into the Garden of Veins, the plant will wither and die instantly. 17 (TRUE) Water is more precious than gold inside; there are no springs, only vats of ancient, hallucinogenic wine. 18 (PARTIAL) The tomb is guarded by a "Star-Beast." (It is actually a Dimensional Shambler summoned by the Queen's final spell). 19 (TRUE) To leave the tomb, you must give up something you love. If you don't, the exit will lead only to a blank wall. 20 (TRUE) The Satrap is already dead. The man who hired you is a sorcerer wearing the Satrap's skin as a disguise. How to use these in your C&C Session
Gather Information: A character with Charisma or Intelligence as a Prime can spend $1d4$ hours and $20gp$ in bribes to roll on this table.
The "Looming Threat": If the players roll Result 20, don't tell them immediately. Let them find the "Satrap" acting strangely later in the adventure to build the suspense.
In Castles & Crusades, these antagonists should feel "weird" and dangerous, utilizing the Forbidden Spells and Lotus effects we've discussed.
The Petal-Wraith (Undead Sentinel)
The Petal-Wraith appears as a tall, slender figure draped in tattered burial silks. Instead of a face, its hood contains a swirling vortex of black lotus petals. It does not fly so much as "drift" through space, trailing a scent of funeral incense.
HD: $5d8$ (23 HP)
AC: 17
Move: 30 ft. (Fly)
Attacks: 2 Claws ($1d6$ + Time Dilation)
Special Properties:
Time Dilation Touch: Anyone hit by the Petal-Wraith must make a Wisdom Save (CL 5). On a failure, they suffer the "Time Dilation" effect: they act last in the initiative order and lose their next move action as they perceive time slowing to a crawl.
Incorporeal: Takes half damage from non-magical weapons.
Vulnerability: Magical light or fire deals an additional $+2$ damage per die.
Saves: M (Physical), P (Mental)
XP: 350
Queen Xylanthia (The Lotus Lich)
Xylanthia is not a desiccated skeleton, but a "living" mummy. Her skin is translucent like fine parchment, revealing violet ichor flowing through her veins. She sits perfectly still, her eyes solid black obsidian, speaking directly into the minds of those who enter her sanctum.
HD: $8d10$ (52 HP)
AC: 20 (Magical protection/Natural armor)
Move: 20 ft.
Attacks: Touch of Decay ($1d8$ + Strength Drain) or Forbidden Spell
Special Properties:
Spellcasting: Xylanthia is a 9th-level caster. She typically has the following Forbidden Spells prepared:
Mirror of Malice (1/day): Target is trapped in their reflection.
Scream of the Banshee (1/day): 30ft cone of death.
Flesh-to-Salt (2/day): Dehydration attack.
Mantle of Shadows: She is invisible to any character with full HP.
Strength Drain: Her touch causes $1d4$ permanent Strength drain (Save vs. Death to negate).
Lotus Command: She can command any character currently under the effect of the Black Lotus (no save).
Resistances: Immune to charm, sleep, and cold. Takes half damage from piercing and slashing.
Saves: P (Physical), P (Mental)
XP: 2,400
Combat Tactics in the Tomb
The Ambush: The Petal-Wraith usually strikes first while the party is distracted by the Gallery of the Lotus-Eaters. Its goal is to slow the heavy hitters (Fighters/Paladins) so the Zombies can swarm them.
Xylanthia’s Defense: She does not stand to fight. She stays on her throne and uses Mirror of Malice on the party's primary spellcaster immediately.
The Environment: During the fight with Xylanthia, the Living Bloom (the plant in the center of the room) pulses with black light. Every $1d4$ rounds, everyone in the room must make a CL 4 Constitution Save or be affected by a random result from the Black Lotus Side Effects table.
On the translucent, preserved corpse of Queen Xylanthia lie relics of a forgotten age of sorcery. These items are powerful but often carry the "taint" of the Black Lotus or the Outer Dark.
D10 Unique Magic Items of Queen Xylanthia
| Roll | Item Name | Description & Mechanical Effects |
| 1 | The Obsidian Sight | A pair of smooth obsidian lenses that fit over the eyes. They grant Darkvision (60ft) and allow the wearer to see the "silver cord" of living souls, granting +2 to hit living targets. Curse: The wearer cannot see colors; everything appears in shades of grey and bruised purple. |
| 2 | Cope of the Void-Walker | A heavy cloak made of weaved shadow-silk. Once per day, the wearer can become Incorporeal for $1d6$ rounds. While in this state, they can pass through walls but take $1d10$ damage if they end their turn inside an object. |
| 3 | The Heart-Sticker | A +2 Stiletto with a hilt of carved finger-bones. On a Natural 20, the blade bypasses all armor and magical protection, dealing maximum damage directly to the target's HP. |
| 4 | Ring of the Lotus-Thrall | A copper band set with a dried lotus petal. The wearer is immune to the "Confused" or "Hallucination" effects of the Black Lotus. Furthermore, they can command any non-sentient undead as if they were a Cleric 3 levels higher. |
| 5 | The Vitreous Chalice | A cup made of hardened, clear bile. Any liquid poured into it becomes a Potion of Healing ($2d8+2$), but only if the cup is first "primed" with a drop of the user's blood (1 HP damage). Useable 3x/day. |
| 6 | Xylanthia’s Silk Veil | A translucent face covering. It grants the wearer a +4 bonus to Saves vs. Gas, Cloud, or Inhaled Poisons. If used by a Charisma-Prime character, they gain +2 to Charisma-based checks as they appear eerily beautiful. |
| 7 | The Brazen Tongue | A small, bronze mechanical tongue kept in a velvet box. When placed in the mouth, the wearer can speak and understand any ancient or forbidden language. Cost: The wearer's original tongue withers; they can never speak their native language again while the item is equipped. |
| 8 | Staff of the Star-Cold | A staff of white wood that is freezing to the touch. It functions as a +1 Quarterstaff that deals an extra $1d6$ Cold damage. It can cast Star-Cold Chill once per day (per the Forbidden Spells table). |
| 9 | The Pouch of Infinite Ash | A small leather bag that never empties. It produces a fine, grey ash. If scattered, it creates a 10ft Cloud of Obscurement. If eaten, the user requires no food or water for 24 hours but feels a profound, existential sadness. |
| 10 | The Grimoire of the Living Bloom | A book bound in green-veined human skin. It contains the formula for cultivating the Black Lotus and $1d4+1$ random Forbidden Spells. Reading it requires an Intelligence Check (CL 8) or the reader suffers a permanent -1 Wisdom drain from the horrific truths within. |
Handling "Taint" in Castles & Crusades
In a true Sword & Sorcery campaign, these items should feel slightly "heavy" on the soul. If a character uses more than three of these unique items at once, the CK might require a Wisdom Save once per week; on a failure, the character begins to dream of Xylanthia's tomb, and their alignment may begin to drift toward Evil or Chaos.
This one-page summary is designed for the Castle Keeper (CK) to run the Tomb of the Black Lotus as a high-stakes, atmospheric "crawl."
Adventure Overview: Tomb of the Black Lotus
Location: The Silt-Wastes of Zul-Bazzar.
Objective: Retrieve the Living Bloom for the dying Satrap.
The Ticking Clock: The Satrap will die in 3 days. Every 6 hours spent in the tomb requires a CL 5 Wisdom Save vs. "Lotus Lethargy" (-2 to all Initiative and Dexterity checks).
Room-by-Room Key
1. The Threshold of Memory
Description: Massive bronze double doors shaped like a closed lotus.
The Lock: No physical keyhole. The doors "whisper" for a memory.
The Cost: One PC must sacrifice a backstory memory. They lose their Charisma Prime (if they have it) for 24 hours. The doors bleed black ichor and swing inward.
2. The Hall of the Silk Guard
Description: A 60ft hallway lined with $1d10+4$ Lotus Zombies.
Encounter: The zombies are docile unless the party carries Black Lotus or fire.
Hazard: The floor is covered in 2 inches of fine, black dust. Running or jumping kicks up a cloud of Black Cough (CL 4 Con save or -2 Con for 24 hours).
3. The Alchemical Refectory
Description: A lab filled with green glass vats and copper pipes.
Loot: A thorough search reveals $1d4$ vials of Liquid Night and the Vitreous Chalice (Unique Item #5).
Hazard: A cracked vat leaks Amnesia Gas. Anyone entering the cloud must Save (CL 4 Int) or forget why they are in the tomb for $1d6$ turns.
4. The Gallery of Unspoken Horrors
Description: Walls are carved with scenes of the Satrap’s ancestors committing atrocities.
Trap: Looking too closely at the carvings triggers a Yellow Sign Projection. Save (CL 5 Int) or be paralyzed for $1d10$ rounds.
Secret: Behind the carving of the "Weeping Ape" is a passage leading to Room 6.
5. The Garden of Veins (The Heart)
Description: A massive, bioluminescent Black Lotus grows from the chest of a petrified titan.
The Guardian: The Petal-Wraith (see Stat Block). It strikes from the shadows of the titan’s ribs.
The Living Bloom: To pluck it, a PC must sacrifice $1d12$ permanent HP. If they use a tool instead of bare hands, the bloom withers and is ruined.
6. The Obsidian Sanctum (Boss Room)
Description: A throne room made of solid black glass. Queen Xylanthia sits here.
Encounter: Xylanthia offers a trade (The Bloom for a Soul). If refused, she attacks using Mirror of Malice and Flesh-to-Salt.
Loot: The Queen carries the Obsidian Sight, Cope of the Void-Walker, and the Grimoire of the Living Bloom.
Quick Reference Stat Block
| Monster | HD | AC | Atk | Special |
| Lotus Zombie | 2 | 12 | Slam ($1d8$) | Slow; extra damage from fire. |
| Petal-Wraith | 5 | 17 | Claw ($1d6$) | Time Dilation (Wis Save or act last). |
| Xylanthia | 8 | 20 | Spells | Scream of the Banshee, Strength Drain. |
Conclusion: The Escape
Once the Bloom is plucked, the tomb begins to "inhale." The hallways constrict.
The Escape: The party must make a CL 6 Dexterity Check to reach the entrance before the doors seal forever.
The Twist: If they reach Zul-Bazzar, the Satrap's eunuchs attempt an ambush to claim the Bloom without paying.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.