Into the Depths of the Ziggurat | Jan Teschner

Forbidden Ziggurat, Third Floor – After a harrowing venture through the third floor of the ancient ziggurat, the adventurers rested within the magic circle, regaining their strength. Mad Matt, however, was plagued by his wounds and opted to stay behind. His loyal skeletal servant, Sir Spencer, was left in Deva’s capable hands. “Take care of him,” Matt had said solemnly, “and may Nalzagoth guide your steps.”
Thus, the group descended further into the labyrinthine temple, determined to uncover its mysteries and secure Auralis’ freedom.

Corridor of Peril
Returning to the grand corridor with three doors, the party opted to explore another section of the third floor. Behind one door, they found a long passage marked by faint arrows on the ground. Deva, ever cautious, sent Sir Spencer ahead to scout the corridor. Tragically, a pressure plate triggered an arrow trap that split Sir Spencer’s skull in two, scattering his bones.
Shaken but resolute, Deva and Tiyana carefully navigated the corridor, retrieving Sir Spencer’s remains as they disarmed additional traps. At the far end of the passage, Tiyana suffered a close call when an arrow fired point-blank while she worked to disable a mechanism. Despite the injury, she succeeded, allowing Marina and Eldrian to proceed safely.
In the final room of the floor, the group discovered a healing fountain that restored their strength. Marina, ever curious, found a note scrawled in the corner. Passing it to Tiyana (as she couldn’t read it herself), they learned of a dangerous creature called a Couatl that guarded the ziggurat’s depths.

Warnings from the Past
Undeterred, the adventurers descended to the fourth floor. Among the rubble, they unearthed a second fountain of healing water containing more notes. These documents painted a grim picture: the Couatl was not the ultimate threat. Instead, it served as a guardian for Chrysalon, the God of Greed, who fed on human folly and sin. The writer urged future explorers to turn back, warning that the ziggurat’s riches came at a terrible cost.
Despite the warnings, the party pressed on with heightened vigilance.

Slime Showdown
The party entered a room coated in thick slime, the walls glistening ominously. At the northern edge lay a bottomless pit, and within the slime, they spotted the faint outline of a massive Gelatinous Cube. Aware of the danger, Tiyana launched a Fireball to surprise it, but the spell fizzled uselessly as it hit the creature's acidic surface.
Marina fired an arrow, but the Cube absorbed it, healing the damage instantly. Before she could retreat, the Cube surged forward and engulfed her. Trapped within its acidic mass, Marina struggled as her armour began to corrode. Deva attempted to pull her free with Thorn Whip but missed, while Tiyana used her magic to tear open a gap in the Cube, allowing Marina to escape.
The Cube retaliated by advancing and consuming not only Marina again but also Tiyana and Eldrian. Deva quickly cast entangling vines over the pit, creating a trap. Eldrian and Tiyana managed to free themselves, while Marina desperately tried to retrieve her dissolving greataxe, but was swallowed once more in the process.
As chaos unfolded, a smaller slime emerged, adding to the party’s troubles. Marina finally broke free, as Eldrian helped her escape. With the Cube lured over the pit, Tiyana set the vines ablaze. As the burning net collapsed, the Gelatinous Cube fell into the void. Marina and Eldrian dispatched the smaller slime with a few well-placed strikes, ending the fight.
Exhausted but victorious, the party regrouped, ready to face the deeper dangers that awaited them.

Splintered Paths
Separated by the bottomless pit, Tiyana and Deva ventured ahead, while Eldrian and Marina took a different route.
Tiyana and Deva discovered a room with clean water where Tiyana washed away lingering acid. In another chamber, Auralis identified columns that reinforced the ceiling, a vital safety feature. Nearby, they encountered bubbling mud crossed by precarious wooden planks. Opting to wait for their allies, they held their position.
Meanwhile, Eldrian and Marina faced a corridor thick with spider webs and eggs. Lighting a torch, Eldrian burned through the obstruction, startling a screeching spider. The creature succumbed to the flames before reaching them. Amidst the debris, Marina found another dragon figurine.
The two groups reunited, navigating the mud chamber with care. Avoiding potential collapse, they passed a mural depicting the Couatl and descended further.

Final Preparations
Before tackling the ziggurat’s depths, the party revisited unexplored rooms. In one, they encountered burned skeletons encircling a flame sigil. Careful to avoid triggering the trap, they proceeded to a chamber where a pristine cloak adorned a charred skeleton. Marina claimed the garment, intrigued by its untouched state amidst ruin.
Their final sweep complete, the adventurers turned their attention to the second floor. There, they found additional notes detailing attacks on the temple by moon priests. The records revealed the once-holy site’s fall into ruin.

Into the Abyss
With every corner of the temple explored and their resolve steeled, the party approached the final set of stairs. A piercing screech echoed from the depths below, a harbinger of the horrors awaiting them. United in purpose, the adventurers descended into the abyss, determined to confront the Couatl, Chrysalon, and whatever other trials lay ahead.