Session 8: Descent Into Darkness
The catacombs beneath Hollowspire await
Session Overview
Summary
The rogues descend into the catacombs beneath Hollowspire to stop the Hidden Hand's ritual. They face traps, undead guardians, and the remnants of the cult as they approach the ritual chamber. The Gem of Vhal'Zar reveals its true intentions as it senses the ritual site, setting up the climactic confrontation.
Session Objectives
- Navigate the catacomb traps and puzzles
- Defeat undead guardians left by the cult
- Rescue any captives held for sacrifice
- Confront and stop the cult's ritual
- Witness the Gem's true nature revealed
Scene 1: Entering the Catacombs
Read Aloud
The wine cellar beneath the Duke's Manor holds secrets older than the noble family itself. Behind a rack of dusty bottles, a sealed crypt door waits - ancient stone carved with warnings in a dead language. With the Duke's blessing and the key from Captain Arden, you heave the door open. Stale air rushes past, carrying the scent of dust and something else... copper, perhaps. Or blood.
Stone steps spiral down into darkness. Water drips somewhere in the distance, and the walls are carved with the faces of long-dead ancestors - or perhaps gods. As you descend, you notice fresh footprints in the dust, recent torch stubs discarded on the steps. The cult has been here. Recently.
DM Notes
- The entrance can be through the Duke's Manor wine cellar or the old Temple of the Veiled Lady
- Emphasize the atmosphere: dripping water, skittering rats, occasional moans of air
- Signs of recent passage show the cult is actively using these tunnels
- This is a short dungeon crawl - keep it focused and tense
Environment Description
| Feature | Description | Game Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Near-total darkness, occasional flickering braziers | Darkvision required or light source needed |
| Sound | Echoing drips, distant chanting, air moans | DC 12 Perception to pinpoint sounds |
| Floor | Uneven stone, dust and debris | Difficult terrain in some areas |
| Ceiling | Low arches (6-7 feet), occasional open chambers | Halflings/Gnomes unaffected; others may need to crouch |
| Air | Stale, damp, occasional sulfur smell near ritual areas | Constitution save DC 10 or disadvantage after 1 hour |
Scene 2: The Shadowy Gauntlet
As the rogues delve deeper, they face a series of challenges left by the cult to deter intruders.
Challenge 1: The Poison Dart Corridor
Read Aloud
The corridor ahead stretches thirty feet, its walls pockmarked with small holes at regular intervals. The floor stones are worn smooth by centuries of passage, but several tiles look... different. Newer, perhaps. Or simply too clean amid the dust.
Trap Mechanics
| Check | DC | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Perception (detect) | DC 14 | Notice pressure plates and dart holes |
| Investigation | DC 13 | Identify safe path through corridor |
| Thieves' Tools (disarm) | DC 15 | Disable trap mechanism entirely |
| Acrobatics (bypass) | DC 13 | Navigate through without triggering |
If Triggered
- Attack: +6 to hit, 1d4+2 piercing damage
- Poison: DC 13 Constitution save or poisoned for 1 hour
- Hallucinogenic Effect: On failed save by 5+, target sees disturbing visions (disadvantage on Wisdom checks)
Humor Option
If you want comic relief, the trap could malfunction due to age - a pressure plate triggers but the mechanism just wheezes sadly, or a dart shoots out at knee-height and clangs harmlessly against the opposite wall a second too late. The PCs can quip about the cult's "home security."
Challenge 2: The Ossuary Guardians
Read Aloud
The tunnel opens into a vast chamber lined with alcoves, each filled with bones arranged in macabre patterns. Skulls form spiraling towers. Femurs create geometric designs on the walls. At the center, a broken altar sits before a defaced statue - some old god whose face has been chiseled away.
As you enter, the Gem of Vhal'Zar pulses with crimson light. In the alcoves, empty eye sockets begin to glow with the same red hue. Bones rattle. Skeletal hands reach for ancient weapons...
Encounter: Undead Guardians
Difficulty: Medium | Environment: Ossuary Chamber (40ft x 40ft)
Shadow
Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed: 40 ft.
Skills: Stealth +4 (+6 in dim light/darkness)
Damage Vulnerabilities: radiant
Damage Resistances: acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: necrotic, poison
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Amorphous. The shadow can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadow can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the shadow has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target's Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.
Tactical Notes
- The Shadow is the real threat - focus it first
- Holy water deals 2d6 radiant damage to undead
- The Gem reacts to undead with disgust ("Puppets of lesser magic...")
- Magical weapons bypass the Shadow's resistance
- If PCs lack magical damage, the +1 dagger from the Duke's armory helps
Challenge 3: The Lost Soul
Read Aloud
A side passage branches off the main corridor, and from within comes a weak sound - somewhere between a moan and a whisper. Chains clink softly. Following the sound, you find a small cell carved into the rock, its rusted iron bars still intact.
Inside, a gaunt figure huddles in the corner - a young man in tattered clothes, his eyes wild and unfocused. He flinches as your light falls upon him, raising trembling hands to shield his face.
The Captive: Brother Aldric
A junior priest from the Temple of the Veiled Lady, captured by the cult a week ago. He's half-mad from fear and dehydration but can provide useful information.
| Question | Information Provided |
|---|---|
| "What happened to you?" | "They... they took me. For the blood. They need blood for the circle..." |
| "How many cultists?" | "Many... six, seven? Maybe more. They wear black robes. They chant..." |
| "Where are they?" | "The big chamber. Down... down and left. Follow the chanting. Don't go there!" |
| "Are there others?" | "Yes... three more. A woman, two men. For the sacrifice. Tonight!" |
| "What are they summoning?" | "Something old. Something hungry. They say 'Vhal'Zar rises'..." |
DM Notes
- DC 12 lock on cell door (or break with DC 15 Strength)
- If healed, Aldric stabilizes but remains shaken
- He can be sent back the way they came or hidden here
- His information confirms 3 more captives in the ritual chamber
Scene 3: The Ritual Chamber Approach
Read Aloud
The chanting grows louder now, a rhythmic drone in a language that hurts to hear. The tunnel opens onto a ledge overlooking a vast cavern - perhaps an ancient cistern or tomb complex repurposed for darker uses.
Below, braziers cast flickering orange light across a nightmare scene. Robed figures move about a massive sigil painted on the floor in what can only be blood. The pattern pulses with inner light, like a wound that won't heal. At the center stands an altar of black stone, with two depressions carved into its surface - one the size of a fist, the other holding a curved ceremonial dagger.
Three villagers kneel at the edge of the sigil, bound and gagged, their eyes wide with terror. Among the cultists, you spot a familiar face - Marcel Silvertongue, looking considerably less confident than when last you met.
Ritual Chamber Layout
| Area | Description | Tactical Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Observation Ledge | 10ft above floor, partial cover from pillars | Good sniper position, DC 12 Athletics to climb down |
| Blood Sigil | 30ft diameter circle, glowing runes | Magical damage to those who cross (1d6 necrotic) |
| Central Altar | Black stone, two depressions for ritual objects | Half cover, ritual focus point |
| Captive Area | 3 bound villagers at sigil edge | Within reach of 2 cultist guards |
| Braziers (4) | Tall bronze braziers with open flames | Can be toppled (Action + DC 13 Athletics), 2d6 fire in 5ft |
| Side Tunnels (2) | Dark passages leading deeper | Potential escape routes or ambush points |
Enemies Present
Marcel's Status
If Marcel escaped Session 5, he's been captured by the cabal and forced to assist. He's not chained but has a magical collar that will kill him if he tries to flee. He may:
- Betray the cult to save himself if PCs offer a deal
- Cause in-fighting as a distraction
- Warn the PCs about trap placement or cultist abilities
- Or he might try to grab the Gem in the chaos for himself
The Gem's True Nature Revealed
Read Aloud (Private to Gem Holder)
The Gem of Vhal'Zar grows warm against you - not uncomfortable, but insistent, like a heartbeat quickening. Its voice fills your mind, no longer a whisper but a clear, eager tone:
"Yes... YES! This is the place. This is RIGHT. The altar... bring me to the altar, and I shall finally be FREE. Place me in the depression at the ceremony's height, and I promise you power beyond imagining. Wealth. Revenge on all who wronged you. Anything..."
The Gem's True Goal
The Gem of Vhal'Zar doesn't want to help the cult - it wants to absorb the ritual's power for itself. It has been manipulating events to reach this moment. Its goals:
- Immediate: Be placed on the altar during the ritual to absorb magical energy
- True Purpose: Gain enough power to fully manifest its spirit form
- Lies: It claims the ritual will "free" it, but freedom means unleashing Vhal'Zar's essence
Gem Manipulation Attempts
| PC Action | Gem's Response | Wisdom Save DC |
|---|---|---|
| Refuses to approach altar | Psychic pain: 1d4 psychic damage | DC 14 to resist |
| Tries to give Gem away | Charm effect: "You don't really want to do that..." | DC 15 to resist |
| Threatens to destroy Gem | Pleading, then threats: visions of doom | DC 13 Wisdom or Frightened 1 round |
| Questions Gem's motives | Smooth lies about shared goals | DC 16 Insight to detect deception |
Running the Gem
- The Gem's manipulation should feel unsettling but not overtly hostile yet
- It genuinely helped them earlier - it needed them to get here
- Players should question whether to trust it, not feel forced
- If they strongly resist, the Gem backs off... for now
- The full confrontation with the Gem happens in Session 9
Scene 4: Striking the Cult
Approach Options
Option A: Stealth Ambush
The PCs pick off cultists quietly, free prisoners before raising alarm, then fight remaining enemies.
- DC 14 Stealth to move undetected on ledge
- Sneak attacks from above deal double sneak attack dice (dropping down)
- Can eliminate 1-2 cultists before others notice
- Freeing prisoners requires DC 12 Sleight of Hand (quietly) or DC 10 (loudly)
Option B: Deception/Distraction
Create a diversion or turn the cultists against each other.
- Marcel can be convinced to cause chaos (DC 13 Persuasion if offered freedom)
- PCs could pretend to be cult reinforcements bringing the Gem
- Toppling braziers causes 2d6 fire damage and creates smoke cover
- The Gem could project an illusion if asked (but may add its own twist)
Option C: Confrontation
Challenge the cult directly - force them to negotiate or fight on PC terms.
- Cult leader may offer exchange: Gem for prisoners
- DC 15 Insight reveals they'll kill everyone once they have the Gem
- The Gem telepathically screams "LIES!" if PCs consider surrendering it
- Can buy time for one PC to flank while the other negotiates
Combat Encounter: Ritual Chamber Battle
Difficulty: Hard | Objective: Stop ritual, save prisoners
Cult Fanatic
Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
Armor Class: 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points: 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed: 30 ft.
Skills: Deception +4, Persuasion +4, Religion +2
Senses: passive Perception 11
Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit). Spells:
- Cantrips: light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
- 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith
- 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon
Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Combat Tactics
- Cult Fanatics: Use Hold Person on rogues, then cultists swarm
- Cultists: Fight in pairs, try to flank
- Desperation Move: If losing, a fanatic tries to stab a prisoner to fuel the sigil
- The Sigil: Crossing it deals 1d6 necrotic; can be disrupted by scattering the blood (action + DC 14 Arcana)
Scaling the Fight
- Too Easy: A cult fanatic summons a Shadow or Specter from the sigil
- Too Hard: Marcel turns on the cult, evening the odds
- Just Right: PCs should feel challenged but victorious through clever tactics
Scene 5: The Path Opens
Read Aloud - Victory Interrupted
The last cultist falls, their blood mingling with the sigil on the floor. You've won. The prisoners are safe, the ritual interrupted. But something is wrong.
The dying cult leader - robes torn, face bloodied - lets out a rattling laugh. "Too late," he wheezes, crimson bubbling at his lips. "The path... is open. You've brought it right where it needed to be. You fools... you've doomed us all."
The blood sigil pulses once, twice, three times - each pulse brighter than the last. The Gem of Vhal'Zar tears itself from your grasp, floating into the air above the altar. Cracks appear across its surface, and from within, light pours out - not the warm crimson of before, but something older. Darker. Hungrier.
The ground shakes. The walls groan. And from the Gem comes a voice that is not telepathic whisper but thunder:
"AT LAST."
Session End
End the session on this cliffhanger. The Gem has been partially activated by the incomplete ritual, and Vhal'Zar's spirit is beginning to manifest. The true final confrontation awaits in Session 9.
Setting Up Session 9
- The Gem's shell is cracking - the entity within is emerging
- The PCs have moments to act before full manifestation
- The ritual chamber is becoming unstable (tremors, falling debris)
- Prisoners need to be evacuated
- The true antagonist is revealed: Vhal'Zar's spirit, not the cult
Loot & Rewards
From the Catacombs
| Item | Location | Value/Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Cultist Pouches (6) | On cultist bodies | 2d6 gp each, various unholy symbols |
| Ritual Dagger | Altar | +1 dagger, deals extra 1d4 necrotic (curse: nightmares) |
| Cult Fanatic Spellbook | Lead fanatic's robes | Contains ritual notes, spell scrolls (Command, Inflict Wounds) |
| Potion of Healing (2) | Cult supply cache | 2d4+2 HP each |
| Marcel's Hidden Stash | If Marcel helped, he reveals | 150 gp, Potion of Invisibility |
Experience Points
| Achievement | XP (per character) |
|---|---|
| Navigating the traps | 100 XP |
| Defeating undead guardians | 150 XP |
| Rescuing Brother Aldric | 50 XP |
| Defeating the cult | 300 XP |
| Saving all three prisoners | 100 XP bonus |
| Discovering Gem's true nature | 50 XP |
| Total (all objectives) | 750 XP |