“Snakes in the Grass”
Difficulty: This adventure is for 4 to 6 level 9 characters.
Run Time: 2-4 hours.
Special Notes: This adventure can be completed with no combat. Encourage players to find non-violent solutions. Read VGtM p.92-102 to prepare for this adventure.
Summary
The party visits a town that is secretly populated by Yuan-ti. The yuan-ti are making human sacrifices to increase their power. A couple in town, a human woman and a yuan-ti man are in love, and their forbidden union could hold the key to ending the evil reign of the serpent god who demands sacrifice from the town.
Setup: Sunbathing
The town of Dendaria sits at the edge of a thick jungle forest that surrounds a sizeable mountain. Every day at noon, the entire population of the town travel up the mountain to the flat rocky clear space at the top of the mountain to lay in the sun. This is claimed to be a form of worship in reverence to the sun god, Lothander. (In reality the more cold-blooded yuan-ti are warming themselves like snakes on the rocks.) In the town, the party meets Golda Anderton(Human Female Commoner) who asks them to help her find her missing boyfriend: Arthur Oakbar(Male Yuan-ti Pureblood). She doesn't know that he is a Yuan-ti. If the party agree to help, she tells them that they were supposed to meet for a date on the mountain yesterday, but he never showed. She knocked on the door to his house but didn't recieve an answer. If the party refuse to help her, then go directly to the counter-attack section at some point while they explore the town.
Investigation: Finding Arthur.
The following places can be investigated in the town:
Arthur's apartment: Obvious signs of a struggle are here. The entire place has been ransacked, and a few spots of blood are on the floor.(The blood is from a minor wound Arthur sustained when being captured.)
The summit: At noon the entire village(except for the council) congregate on the summit to sunbathe. At other times the area is empty. An investigation check DC20 reveals a note hidden at Arthur and Golda's meeting spot. "My love, I have put you in great danger. Forget me and flee for your life. -Arthur." The note is authentic.
The Jungle: Hidden in the jungle forest is the Yuan-ti temple to Dendar(VGtM p.101) where they torture humans to death, using the power of their suffering to draw favor from Dendar and transform themselves further into more serpentine aspects. All the Yuan-ti have the ability to appear human as well as their other forms. The party can find evidence of torture and bloodshed on the alter on top of the pyramid. The demigod, Thotzil(Yuan-ti Anathema) is inside level 3 in the gathering hall. He is Dendar's representative in the prime material plane here, and is treated as the goddess herself. If the blood of a Yuan-ti who truely loves a human is spilled on the altar as an act of noble sacrifice, then an ancient magic transforms all the Yuan-ti into humans, and the temple and altar crumble to dust. Yuan-ti Malison are in levels 1,2, and 4.
The Council Chambers: A secret place where the town leaders meet. Arthur is captive here. Begin conterattack.
Counter Attack: Confront the Council
At some point allow the party to discover the secret loction of the council chambers. Golda will not come with them here. The council have arrested him for being a race-traitor. The council are all disguised as humans, and claim that Arthur was arrested for theft. A DC20 insight check lets the party know that the council are lying. There are 5 members of the council all disguised as humans and using human names:
Tuluh: Human name: Dorn Temple. (Yuan-ti Abomination MM308) The leader of the council.
Nitstili: Human name: Mathild Bolton. (Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer VGtM204) The witch woman of the town.
Thetseti: Human name: Brynna Kincade. (Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker VGtM205) The Prophetess.
Shatsa: Human name: Casandra Colvin. (Yuan-ti Malison MM309) The High Priestess who makes the sacrifices.
Aklas: Human name: Baldric Larson (Yuan-ti Pit Master VGtM206) Head of the yuan-ti broodguards(VGtM203).
The Yuan-ti want to capture and torture innocent victims on the altar to increase their power. Killing the party isn't a high priority. Preserving their secrets and gaining power is their goal. Arthur is under the influence of an invoke nightmares, fear, and hold person all cast by Nitstili. The council don't want any trouble with an armed adventuring party and will attempt to avoid any conflict, but they won't let Arthur go. They will question the party about Golda and accuse her of being an accomplice to Arthur's crimes. The council will offer the party payment to investigate the ancient jungle temple and cleanse the evil within. The council hope that they can rid themselves of the party by sending them to die by the hand of Thotzil. And if Thotzil dies, then Tuluh imagines that he could ascend to replace him, so it's win-win.
Climax: The serpent temple. VGtM p.101
When the players arrive here, if Golda is not with them, she meets them here and has discovered this place on her own. She tells the party that she doesn't trust the council and thinks that something is terribly wrong. If the players enter the temple, they can fight Thotzil in the gathering hall of level 3. Several Yuan-ti Malison are in levels 1, 2, and 4 in medium snake form and will attack the party for trespassing. When the players exit the temple or if they decide not to enter, then Arthur arrives at the temple having escaped custody. He is pursued by Aklas and 5 Yuan-ti Broodguard who's entire focus is on stopping him. If the party delay the broodguard, then he runs up the pyramid to the altar in 3 rounds and sacrifices himself on the altar on his initiate in round 4, destroying the magic that has transformed the yuan-ti. In an instant all the Yuan-ti become human and stop fighting. Golda weeps over her lost love. Arthur can't be ressurected. His spirit is unwilling because it had to die to break the magic.
Wrap-Up: The crumbling temple.
The temple begins to collapse after Arthur's sacrifice. If the party is on or in it when this happens, run a skill challenge to have them escape the falling debris. They can search through the wreckage for treasure to find some ancient artifacts kept in the temple. The now human yuan-ti let them have it.
Treasure: Roll twice on Treasure Hoard: Challenge 5-10 (DMG p.137)
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