Planar Fortress

## Location

The fortress is located in a small clearing east of the trail northward to the lizardfolk village, on it's own faint trail. A DC 15 survival check is required for someone who hasn't already been to the clearing to find the trail. In the center of the clearing is a small, weathered stone hut, with the door cracked slightly ajar. This unassuming entrance hides four levels of the fortress, all connected by portals. The levels are called:
1st - The Watch
2nd - The Sanctuary
3rd - The Barracks
4th - The Rift

## Explored So Far

Level 1 has been entirely explored, and the room descriptions updated as necessary. Level 2 has been partly explored, except for rooms 5 and 6.

## History

The Druidic Order of the Ancient Northern Kingdom (insert name here) worked with said kingdom to establish a watchpost over a portal to a dark place in the Spiritual Realm discovered by the Archdruid shortly after the Migration. Built over the cave containing the portal, the Watch, as it was called, was manned for the duration of the Kingdom, and was spared the wrath of Maledor's armies during the Ruination, though it was eventually abandonded by the dwindling Druidic Order.

Before it was vacated, the Order sealed the portals inside the Watch, leaving "keys" on the outside of each portal inside the fortress to ensure that only those powerful enough to contain the evil within could reach the planar rift itself.

## Layout

### **Level 1 (The Watch)**

* Entryway - A worn stone staircase leads downward to a small atrium, with a large, seal-like carving in the center, depicting an armored knight fighting a large red dragon, surrounded by roiling smoke. Putting more than 15 lbs. of pressure on the dragon (2nd square from north in the centerline of the room), causes the dragon section of the seal to depress and a clicking sound to be heard. This would normally cause a heavy crossbow to fire from a hidden gallery above the room, but the crossbows have been removed by adventurers.
* Room 2: Hallway - This bare stone hallway leads to two rooms, one at the end of the hallway opposite the entryway, and one to its left, looking from the door from the entryway. The first room appears to have once been a storage room, and is strewn with worm-eaten casks and crates. A secret door in the south-west corner of the room (currently ajar) leads to a cramped staircase and balcony overlooking the atrium. The second room seems to be a sleeping chamber, with three beds made from the same worm-riddled wood. There is another secret door in the north-east corner of the room.
* Room 1: Portal Room - This room is lined with three pairs of alcoves on opposite walls. At the far end of the room is a section of wall raised from the rest and carved with a 6 ft. archway, another draconic figure filling the space under the arch. Five suits of armor remain in their alcoves, but the alcove in the far right corner of the room is empty, a suit of armor lying on the ground in pieces around it. In that alcove, in Celestial, is written the following couplet:

"If thou wouldst pass this, the first trial,

Set twisting color 'pon the serpent vile."

Casting Hypnotic Pattern on the portal consumes the spell without its normal effects, and opens a portal in the archway to Level 2 that lasts for one hour.

### **Level 2 (The Sanctuary)**

* Room 1: Landing - This room has smooth, bare stone walls, with the only ornamentation being the carving across from the door that matches the one in the portal room of Level 1. The door itself is made of one solid piece of dark red wood, and bound with three bands of mithral ("a silvery metal") and a doorknob of the same material. The door is not currently locked.

* Room 2: The Heroes' Walk - Two rows of heroic figures depicted in enamel inlays line either side of this hallway. The door at the far end of the room from the portal chamber matches the closer one exactly. On the left-hand side, the figures are as follows (listed from closest to portal to farthest):
	+ A young human man with sandy brown hair and beard and blue eyes holds a plain steel sword by the pommel, the point resting in front of his feet. He is clad in a chainmail shirt, over which is a red tabard emblazoned with the device of an open eye superimposed over a four-pointed star. On his brow rests a five-pointed circlet, each point bearing a gem of a different color, and ringed on the inside with golden leaves.
	+ A beautiful young elven woman with golden hair and brown eyes wields a white scepter, shaped like a stylized branch and tipped with a large sapphire. She is clad in a flowing white robe, accented in the front and sleeves with patches of dark green. A circlet of silver, shaped like a ring of leafy vines sits on her head.
	+ An old human man with gray hair and beard leans slightly on a gnarled staff of dark wood, clothed in robes of midnight blue. His dark eyes rest under his brows, looking piercingly outward, and seem more alive than any of the other images'.

* And on the right-hand side, in the same order as the left:
	+ An old human man with leathery brown skin and a hair and beard of brown flecked with gray and green stands tall, holding a staff crowned with purple and white flowers. A robe that seems to be made of earth-like cloth flows down to his ankles, leaving his sandal-clad feet uncovered.
	+ An elven man of indeterminate age with blond hair and a crown of leaves stands with his right hand upraised, with palm facing upwards and fingers open. Vine tendrils are depicted as growing out of a point of light on his palm. He wears a cloak of spring-green leaves.
	+ A dryad with forest green skin and amber hair stands in front of a large tree trunk of an unclear variety, glad only in a light covering of vines and leaves, with strands of the same foliage twined in her hair.

* Room 3: The Atrium - This domed chamber is carved with numerous arcane glyphs and sigils, all of which glow with a faint blue light. With a DC 20 Arcana check, a character can determine that the runes are all arranged around the 15' diameter pool in the center of the room. A large, more complex glyph sits at the bottom of the pool. Not long after character(s) enter the Atrium, the glyphs begin to glow more brightly, and the water begins to form a whirlpool over the larger glyph. Out of the pool then rises a Planetar named Valeron (see his page for more information on the scope of what he knows).

If the characters are new to the Watch, he surveys them, then says "I am Valeron. What brings you to the Watch?" Valeron then explains his purpose to the characters, and tells them about both the devils in the bowels of the fortress and trial in Room 7. If the characters have been to the Watch before, Valeron asks them if they are ready to meet the trial and begin to cleanse the Barracks (level 3) of devils.

* Room 4: The Chapel - The floor of this worship chamber is composed of brown stone, inlaid with wood in a root-like pattern, and enchanted against rot (mild abjuration aura to detect magic). The walls are filled with one massive bas-relief of a woodland scene, with satyrs, dryads, and non-magical woodland creatures depicted in various states of activity and leisure. The relief sculpture of the branches and leaves continues onto the vaulted ceiling, forming a frozen, stony canopy. At the far end of the room from the red wood double-doors, a raised platform sits beneath two larger-than-life images in deeper relief: A wolf standing over a dead deer, and a dryad planting a sapling.
* Room 5: The Dormitory - This room is partitioned into three sections off a corridor running down the side of the room. Each partitioned area contains a bed and small chest, made simply and very solidly of oak wood. Though this wood remains in good condition, there are no cloth or leather remnants of any size left in any of the chambers. **Treasure**: In the chest in the second room there is a pile of gold pieces, 150 in all, along with an emerald Elemental Gem. These treasures are hidden under a pile of dust (DC 11 Perception or Investigation check to find).
* Room 6: The Storeroom - A small food prep area fills the portion of this room nearest to the door. The remainder of the room is filled with old wooden crates. **Treasure**: A DC 15 Investigation check reveals a crate of weapons (10 longswords, 10 halberds, and 10 heavy crossbows). A DC 25 Investigation check also reveals a crate of potions, containing 12 potions of greater healing, and twelve other potions determined randomly from the following table:

* Room 7: The Prison - This austere room is adorned only with four chains, set into the floor about 15 ft. (1 squares) in from each corner. Once the characters have entered the room and the door is closed, a chain devil, saying "May your suffering ease my torment!" The devil attacks immediately. Upon defeating the devil, a door appears in the far wall, leading to Level 3.

### **Level 3 (The Barracks)**

Tactics - All devils on this level are telepathically linked to an Ice Devil, who is the captain of the infernal forces that reside here. He first wants to test the mettle of any intruders, and if strong enough, weaken them with his devils before they reach his command center in room A3.

* Hallways - There is an Imp sitting invisibly on the wall across from the entrance from Level 3 (DC 26 Perception check to notice), who informs the Ice Devil of any arrivals coming through the door. There are also two patrols, one patrol (of 4 Bearded Devils) in the hallway surrounding areas A and B, and an identical patrol in the triangular hallway in section C.
* Room A1: Hospital - The devils didn't have any use for this room after conquering the Barracks, and so simply sealed the room with a magical trap in the form of a rune in Infernal designating laughter (DC 18 Perception check to notice, DC 14 Arcana check to disarm, deals 4d6 fire damage and 4d6 poison damage, DC 17 Dexterity saving throw for half damage). In the room itself, shelves of medical supplies and padded beds lie buried beneath several inches of dust. **Treasure**: On a top shelf in the back of the room are 6 potions of greater healing, 1 potion of superior healing, and 1 potion of invulnerability.
* Room A2: The Captain's Quarters - This room is hidden behind a secret door (DC 19 Perception check to find), and a thin hallway. The door itself lies slightly ajar (the captain died defending the outer hallways), and the room beyond is unnaturally, though not unpleasantly, clean. The furnishings of the room are of quality, though plainly made. They consist of a bed, a bookcase/cabinet, a chest, and an armor stand. **Treasure**: In the chest are 5000 gp, and a dagger, Imp's Bane. Hidden in a secret compartment in the headboard of the bed (DC 25 Perception or Investigation to find) is a slim, gilded volume, a Tome of Leadership and Influence.
* Room A3: The Mess - This was the kitchen and dining area of the Barracks, but has been converted to the command center of the infernal forces. The Ice Devil captain who dwells here is always attended by 2 Bearded Devil bodyguards. He has a large table in the center of the room, with a map depicting the Barracks (not including room A2 or the hallway or door leading to it), and another depicting some unknown region. Near the doorway, there is a flaming sword lying on the floor, which is an illusory trap (DC 16 Perception check to notice). When picked up, it disappears, only to be replaced by the evil ghosts of two dead soldiers. The Ice Devil has the following alternate actions:
	+ Sword (replaces Bite and Claws). *Melee Weapon Attack*: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target *Hit*: 10(2d6) slashing damage plus 18 (4d6) cold damage.
	+ Multiattack (replaces Multiattack). The devil makes makes three attacks: two with its sword, and one with its tail.

**Treasure**: The Ice Devil wields a Frost Brand. In a chest at the back of the room are 7500 gp, 300 pp, a Gem of Brightness (43 charges), a +1 Shield, and a Wand of Enemy Detection.

* Room B1: Barracks 1 - Once filled with orderly rows of bunks, this room is now a nest of imps. There are a total of 6 imps in this room, each with their own wooden nest (which provide three-quarters cover while the imps are in them).
* Room B1: Barracks 2 - Evidence of fierce combat litters this room, from skeletons clad in torn scrap of armor, to smashed beds, to scoring in the stone walls. No creatures dwell in this room. **Treasure**: A +2 short sword lies hidden under one of the skeletons (DC 21 Investigation check to find).
* Room B3: Barracks 3 - This room is being used to store about 30 Lemures. They are currently in stasis (treat them as petrified), as the Ice Devil does not yet know whether he will use them as construction material or cannon fodder.
* Room B4: Barracks 4 - This room is very similar to room B2. **Treasure**: Hidden under a fallen chunk of stone (DC 15 Perception or Investigation check to find, DC 12 Strength check to move) is an intact suit of elven chain armor.
* Room C1: Armory - This room retains is original purpose, and is staffed by a very surly Bone Devil, who immediately attacks any non-devils that enter the room. The walls are lined with various racks filled with wicked-looking weapons, all made of bone. **Treasure**: Several of the weapons in the armory are enchanted (Detect Magic can determine which are magical), consisting of 2 glaives, 3 longswords, 1 warhammer, and 2 longbows, all with a +1 bonus. Whenever you hit a fiend or evil aberration, fey, or monstrosity with one of these weapons, you must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or the damage they deal is halved, rounding down, and you take the same damage as the damaged creature.
* Room C2: Storage -