Hidden Snake Temple

Board

I built this snake temple for my Tomb of Annihilation campaign, but it’s not officially part of the campaign. I took some cool ideas from a bunch of one shots an combined them into what was a very fun adventure. If you’re interested here is what I ran.

1. Cave Entrance
   • I sealed the entrance with no clue on how to open it. I added a giant rock blocking the entrance that was covered in poison, so strong characters could push it slowly but suffer poison damage. The other way to enter is I had poison dripping from the “fangs” in giant snake head into a deep puddle just outside the entrance. PCs can investigate and see a ring to pull on at the bottom of the poison puddle. Pulling on it moves the giant rock.
2. Snake Hallway
   • The entrance way was filled with some snakes that attacked them. Beyond that is a hallway flanked by snake heads. There were trapped tiles that if triggered spawned poisonous snakes that sprung at the PC.
3. Main chamber
   • The main chamber has 1 main obelisk and 4 smaller columns each with an animal sculpture on them. The main column has a riddle on it that gives a pretty obvious clue on how to open the secret door that descends down deeper into the tomb.
   • The riddle describes 5 animals in order, the obelisk and each of the 4 columns each have an animal, so pressing each of the animals in order opens the secret door.  Puzzle is below.
   • The fun part is as soon as the PCs press the first animal a massive snake appears and tries to kill them party.
   • And to add a time pressure every round after the first animal is pressed, skeletons start to get up off the marshy floor. Round one, 1 skeleton, Round two, 2 more, Round three, 3 more… ect. This has the effect of quickly making the party realize they can’t fight there way out of this situation, they have to solve the puzzle quickly or they will get overwhelmed.
4. Secret chamber
   • Once the party touches all 5 animals a secret floor opens up to a chamber below. There is a hide volume on the map for this. The door closes behind them sealing the skeleton horde behind them.
   • As they explore the secret chamber they discover a treasure at the center of the room, as well as a massive rockslide on the far side of the chamber.
   • Taking the treasure opens the secret door that is holding back the skeleton above. Flooding the room with unlimited horde of undead, forcing the PCs to retreat up the rock slide to the caves up above that leads to an exit.
   • This creates a fun time pressure as they attempt climbing checks to escape as the horde of undead approaches.

Puzzle:

Riddle 1.

I sizzle like bacon, and am come from an egg. A backbone have I, but not a single leg.” Answer: Snake

Riddle 2.

““While I’ve got four legs, I’ve no tail in sight. You see me in the day, but hear me at night.” Answer: Frog

Riddle 3.

“Armored, but not a knight. Snapping, but not a twig. Always moving; always at home.” Answer: Turtle*“

Riddle 4.

Within a lair of silver string, I dispatch my prey with a biting sting.”

Answer: Spider

Riddle 5.

“Born of water, it will also drown me. I’m a blood-thirsty beast you can barely see.” Answer: Mosquito

Made with the work of these great builders

tomb of the snake king – GENGUS

Jungle Encounter – Sehouri