Amber Temple

* Upper Level
* Lower Level

The **Amber Temple** was an ancient and mysterious temple in the mountains of Barovia Valley.

## Description

The temple was an extremely cold, dark place carved out of the snowy slope of a mountain. The front of the structure was 50 feet high and had six alcoves containing 20-foot tall statues. Each statue was carved from a single block of amber and depicted a faceless hooded figure, its hands pressed together in a gesture of prayer. Between the two innermost statues was a 20-foot tall archway with a staircase leading down.

## History

A long time ago, mighty wizards -- one a tiefling, one a gnome and another a human -- pledged to guard the temple, which served as a prison for dark powers and evil forces in the world. Another wizard breached the temple, located the dark power Tenebrous within its vaults and was transformed into a lich, assuming the name Exethanter. He transformed the skulls of the wizard guardians into floating flameskulls, under his command. Thus, the wizards were no longer protectors of the temple, but servants to Exethanter, who took it upon himself not to hoard its evil secrets but to share them openly. He remained custodian of the temple for many centuries, during which time, Strahd came to the temple seeking immortality and received gifts from the dark powers. Somehow, over the vast stretches of time that he was there, Exethanter eventually forgot who he was entirely. However, when the party arrived with Victor, the wizard in training cast a spell to restore the lich's memories, uncovering a strange and disturbing twist. Exethanter revealed that he and Victor were in fact the same person, that Victor was the one who had breached the temple all those years ago and become the lich. The shock of this revelation was too great for Victor, who took his own life.

### Amber Sarcophagi

In the vaults of the temple were the Amber Sarcophagi, looking like rough blocks of solid amber. Trapped inside the blocks were the vestiges of dark and evil powers.

Touching an amber sarcophagus formed a telepathic link with the dark power inside. They offered a gift to whoever communicated with them, which must have been willingly accepted to gain its benefits. The gifts were only described to the party in general terms; their precise effects weren't revealed until accepted.

The dark powers trapped in the sarcophagi were:

* **Dahlver-Nar**, He of the Many Teeth
* **Delban**, the Star of Ice and Hate
* **Khirad**, the Star of Secrets
* **Norganas**, the Finger of Oblivion
* **Savnok**, the Inscrutible
* **Seriach**, the Hell Hound Whisperer
* Great **Taar Haak**, the Five-Headed Destroyer
* **Tarakamedes**, the Grave Wyrm
* **Tenebrous**, a power who's gift was the secret of lichdom
* **Yog** the Invincible
* **Yrrga**, the Eye of Shadows
* **Zantras**, the Kingmaker
* **Zhudun**, the Corpse Star

In addition, there were 7 dark powers whose names were never discovered:

* An unnamed power offering the power to walk on walls and ceilings
* An unnamed power offering the power to create lightning
* An unnamed power offering the power of spreading disease
* An unnamed power offering the power to raise the recently deceased
* An unnamed evasive power
* An unnamed power offering the power of persuasion
* An unnamed dark power offering the *"dark gift of the **Vampyr**"*

And there was 1 dark power who's sarcophagus was broken:

* **Saltimir**, a power who's gift was to do with hiding or shadows

## Episode Appearances

List the episodes in which the party discuss or explore this location.

## Quotes

Any memorable quotes about this location.

## References

1. ↑ 113: We Only Heard Lard
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 118: The Gift of Taco Bell Gift Cards
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 116: That Was Just My Stunt Double
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 115: Sarcopha-guy
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 120: We Have to Defeat Batthwack Now
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 117: "Cup"cakes and Peanuts!
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 119: Guys, My Sinuses Have Never Been Clearer