The Primitive Temple (CSC)

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==Origin==
The primitive temple was built by a race which had not yet developed advanced architecture or metal working. It may be that early men built it in their quests to satisfy their need to worship their simple deities. If this is the case, then the structure is incredibly ancient and few of its interior furnishings have survived. Another option for the referee is to use the temple for some contemporary, but primitive, race like the lizard men.
==Transformation==
The primitive temple can be converted into a dungeon in any number of ways. For our purposes, however, let us assume that it was built on the slopes of a towering volcano. During a major eruption, the mountain of fire sent forth a cloud of ash which fell like gray snow upon everything around it. Caught beneath the plume of the eruption, the temple was buried— but not before those who built it could seal it up and protect the interior from the insidious ash.
Over the years, the ash has hardened into stone and the temple has become solidly trapped beneath the newly formed surface. Only the mighty statues built outside its entrance are visible above ground, and it is these objects which can be used to provide a party of adventurers with their first clues about the existence of the primitive temple.
==Map Key==
1. Courtyard: Just outside the archway which admits the faithful to the temple was an area which had been cleared and landscaped to some extent. Six statues were erected here, one for each of the deities sacred to the temple builders.
2. Temple of Earth: The first shrine which those entering the temple encountered was this one. It was devoted to a primitive earth spirit which was symbolized by a figure of a large, pregnant goddess. Carvings and paintings in this room celebrated the earth as a source of life and power.
3. Storage: This chamber was used to keep various items required for religious services in the temple. It contained a number of bowls and pots which would have been filled with herbs, berries, and similar materials. If the chamber has not been used in a long time, many of the organic items stored in here will have decayed totally.
4. Gallery: The center of the temple is an open area with a number of benches scattered around it for the faithful to sit on as they awaited the beginning of a service. The walls, floors, and ceilings were covered in engravings which depict the various important events and beliefs of the mythology of the temple builders.
5. Temple of the Dead: The statue in this room is gaunt and skeletal, looking much like some form of undead creature. The walls are covered with bones and similar trappings of the grave.
6. Temple of Fire: Stone braziers with burning coals and oil lamps celebrated the value of fire to a primitive culture in this temple. The engravings on the walls showed fire being used to make the life of the tribe better: a cooking fire, a bonfire for warmth, a camp fire keeping animals at bay, and so forth. The god in this chamber holds a burning torch in each hand. Of course, by the time the temple is uncovered and explored, all of these fires will have long since burned out—unless the dungeon master has something unusual up his sleeve.
7. Temple of War: This chamber was a temple sacred to the god of war. The deity himself had an almost animalistic look, conveying an impression of savage fury. The walls were decorated with a variety of weapons. Engravings in this chamber depicted battles and fights, often showing the god himself as leading the faithful into combat.
8. Temple of Water: Just as these primitive people recognized the earth and soil as vital to life, so too did they understand the importance of water. A number of ornate barrels or cisterns once adorned this room, each of which would have been filled with fresh water. Depending on the wishes of the dungeon master, this may or may not have been holy water. In any event, the engravings and paintings in this chamber depicted water in its many forms: rain, a lake, a gentle stream, a raging river, and so on.
9. Temple of the Sky: The sky and weather are very important to a primitive culture. If the gods frown on the actions of a people, they may withhold the rain or send deadly storms to destroy them. In either case, the end result is often the utter destruction of a people. In order to keep the gods of the sky happy, the primitives built this shrine. Its walls were covered with engravings of clouds, storms, and so on.