The FOR 4 PCS OF

Lost T
3RD LEVEL

emple of
A A
nax pogeion

A 5E WARLOCK MIDGARD ADVENTURE

BY MIKE SHEA, AKA SLY FLOURISH
 THE LOST TEMPLE OF
ANAX APOGEION
“No one knows what goes through the alien minds of the Great Old Ones. The Cult of Anax Apogeion
thought they knew how to find out. Instead, they found starvation and death in a temple lost in the
sands of the Western Wastes. With them lies the scroll of Anax Apogeion, supposedly lost for all time.
But I know where it is. I will uncover it. I will find the song that sings to the Great Old One.”

Introduction and Background

Three centuries ago, in the mountains of the Western from the vaults of the magocracy, he used it to tip over the
Wastes, a small cult now long forgotten built a temple to massive statue and reveal the lost temple. Filled with hubris,
the Great Old One–Anax Apogeion. The leader of this cult the wizard entered the temple and never came out again.
possessed a scroll said to allow one to speak to the ancient The Black Goat’s Flock, a demon cult of chaos, soon
horror. To protect and study the scroll, the cult secluded became aware of the vault’s discovery through their sand
themselves in the temple and dragged an enormous idol goblin spies and sent their own expedition into the temple.
of Anax Apogeion in front of the temple’s only entrance, They seek to recover the scroll of Anax Apogeion and add it
sealing themselves in. They soon starved and died, to their Viridian Codex.
whispering strange prayers to their uncaring patron with
their last breaths. GM Note: This adventure contains material on the Black
Until recently, the temple lay hidden behind the huge Goat’s Flock from Demon Cults and Secret Societies,
idol whose very appearance filled those who looked upon it although this book is not required. When a creature’s name
with nightmares. An enterprising wizard of the magocracy appears in bold, that’s a cue that its stat block appears in the
of Allain, named Nathryn Yelles, found the only piece of Monster Manual. If the stat block appears in the Tome of
evidence describing the lost temple. Stealing a flesh golem Beasts (Tome of Beasts), it is noted as such.

Design: Mike Shea, AKA Sly Flourish Kobold Press, Midgard, Open Design, and their associated logos
are trademarks of Open Design, LLC.
Editing: Blaine McNutt Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity,
Art Director & Graphic Design: Marc Radle as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not
Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters,
Cover Art: Karl Waller TM
place names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations,
Cartography: Dyson Logos characters, artwork, sidebars, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously
been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.)
Publisher: Wolfgang Baur Open Game Content: The Open content in this book includes all monster stats
for the Dorreq.
TM

© 2018 Open Design, LLC.

www.koboldpress.com

TM

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 N 7
h
6
5

Hired by the Magocracy. An agent of the magocracy of

Adventure Hooks Allain, Finnius Kalarex, hires the characters to learn the
Use any of the hooks below or create your own to bring your fate of a mage who stole a flesh golem and headed to an
characters to the temple of Anax Apogeion. ancient idol in the southern Western Wastes. Along with
the fate of Nathryn Yelles, Finnius seeks the recovery of
Prophecy of madness. One of the characters has a vision an ancient scroll said to be within the temple behind the
of the awakening of a horrifying, tentacled monstrosity fallen idol.
floating over a dead city. The character sees the disturbing
image of the toppled idol and, with some investigation,
learns of the temple of Anax Apogeion. Secrets and Clues
Coincidental discovery. While traveling through the As your game unfolds, Drop in the following secrets or clues
Western Wastes, the characters spot the toppled idol whenever they make sense. Characters might discover these
and feel both the horror of the Old One’s temple and the secrets and clues in conversations with NPCs or through skill
mystery contained within it. One of the characters might checks while investigating the lost temple.
recognize the idol to Anax Apogeion, but none know of
• Anax Apogeion is one of the Great Old Ones lost in the
the secret temple sitting behind it.
Western Wastes. Anax Apogeion itself hangs above the
last ancient city it destroyed hundreds of years ago.

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• Anax Apogeion cared nothing for the cult that followed it upon the stairs, many dressed in ragged gray robes. Two husks
but they revered it as a god. lie in less tattered black robes, silver pentagram necklaces
• The Black Goat’s Flock knows of the lost cult of Anax around their necks. The carvings of hundreds of eyes and
Apogeion and seeks the scroll they once possessed. thousands of tentacles decorate the walls of the stairwell.
• The cult of Anax Apogeion buried themselves along with
A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that
the scroll in their temple.
the older skeletons are nearly three-centuries old. The other
• The cult of Anax Apogeion had uncovered terrible secrets corpses were more recently killed and wear the garb of the
that allowed them to whisper to the horrors from beyond Black Goat’s Flock.
the realms of mortals. A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that
• Members of the magocracy of Allain seek the scroll some of the eyes on the wall pulse with energy. A DC 14
because they too want to understand how to communicate Intelligence (Arcana) check identifies the energy as necrotic.
with the Great Old Ones. A DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Religion)
• The Black Goat’s Flock, a demon cult of chaos, seeks to check can disrupt the necrotic energy of the walls and allow
complete the Viridian Codex, the forbidden litany of the safe passage down the stairs.
Goat in the Woods. Unless disrupted, when any living creature walks halfway
down the stairs, a number of eyes begin to gleam with
1. ENTRANCE violet light. All creatures on the stairs must make a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 1d10
The massive, toppled idol of a tentacled abomination
minutes. Black ethereal tentacles then reach out from the
reveals a carved tunnel leading deep into the rockface of the
walls and attempt to drain the life out of those who fell
mountainside. The statue’s huge single eye stares out across
asleep, draining them for 2d6 (7) necrotic damage. Damage
the lands. A hulking humanoid of stitched patchwork skin
from these tentacles will not wake those who sleep but any
stands next to the fallen statue, its mismatched eyes following
other damage they take will awaken the sleeper and cause the
your movement.
tentacles to whip back into the walls.
Two Black Goat cultists stand guard at the exposed
3. THE RELIQUARY
doorway of the temple. They warn any approachers to leave at
once or they shall release the golem. This is a ruse. The flesh Disfigured husks stand in alcoves in this long hallway. The
golem was commanded to wait here for Nathryn Yelles who twisted and pierced bodies of two cultists, recently killed, lay
lies dead inside. The flesh golem accepts no other commands at the bottom of the twenty-foot deep spiked pit in the front
and will stand here until the elements shred it to the bone. half of the room. Another staircase descends deeper into the
If they are not heeded, the cultists attack. The cultists wear temple on the far side of the chamber.
silver necklaces around their neck of a five-pointed star
formed from stalks of wheat. A DC 14 Intelligence (History) A DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that some of
check identifies these necklaces as symbols of the Black Goat’s the husks appear to be moving.
Flock. They were ordered to guard the doorway and do not As the characters move into this chamber or if they
know what happened to their companions who entered. attack any of the husks, four of the disfigured husks emit
Examining the massive statue of Anax Apogeion is fraught a horrifying screech. All creatures in the chamber who
with risk. Any who examine the statue must make a DC can hear the screech must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving
14 Charisma saving throw or take 7 (2d6) psychic damage. throw or fall under the effects of a fear spell. On their turn,
Further, any physical damage to the statue releases a death characters under this effect must flee the chamber and must
butterfly swarm (Tome of Beasts, p. 71) trapped in the idol roll 1d6. On a 1 or 2, they run into the spiked pit and take 7
and feasting off of the idol’s dark energy. (2d6) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) poison damage from the
mold-covered spikes at the bottom of the pit. If they do not
Treasure: Within the idol, deep in the stone, is a single fall into the pit trap, they might run back into the sleeping
large black diamond worth 500 gp. A DC 16 Intelligence trap in the previous stairwell. Creatures under the fear effect
(Arcana) check reveals that the diamond is not of this world. can make new saving throws at the end of each of their turns.
The amulets of the Black Goat cultists are worth 10 gp. each After the screech, four skin bats (Tome of Beasts, p. 87)
though selling them gains the attention of the leaders of the tear themselves away from the skeletal remains they use as
Black Goat’s Flock. their roosts and attack those who do not flee.
A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that
2. THE STAIRCASE a breeze seems to blow from the thin rock wall behind
Shining torchlight illuminates this steep cracked stairwell the corpse of a dead cultist on the right-hand side of the
leading up into the mountainside. Dozens of skeletons lay chamber. Breaking through the wall reveals the lost vault.

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4. THE LOST VAULT A dorreq (Tome of Beasts, p. 124) then falls from the
A stone slab sits in the center of this untouched chamber. portal above and lands on Korresh, snapping his head off
A skeleton in tattered robes lays on the slab. Four hulking with its huge beak as it twists the cult fanatic’s body with its
statues sit in the four corners of this room, each with a single tentacles. The scroll falls down the steps to the sand below.
eye and twisted tentacles for arms wrapped around their With the cultist slain, the dorreq attacks the characters. For
bodies. the first two rounds, the dorreq uses its bite to chew up the
body of Korresh. On the third round, it will begin using its
Despite the grim statues, there are no traps in this room. bite attack against characters it already has grappled.
A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the The corpse of Nathryn Yelles lies on the ground. A wand of
room has not been touched in over three centuries. secrets remains on his person.
Treasure: A careful examination of the skeleton on the slab
reveals that the bracers of armor it wears still shines as though Conclusion
recently polished.
When the characters defeat the dorreq, the portal snaps shut
5. CHAMBER OF THE SECOND
and the chamber grows quiet. The characters can choose
the fate of the scroll of Anax Apogeion. Given to the Black
Violet torches glow in sconces along the walls of this chamber.
Goat’s Flock, it helps them complete the Viridian Codex.
A figure wrapped in cloth lies upon a stone platform in the
Returned to the magocracy of Allain, it disappears into their
center of the chamber. The body of a Black Goat cultist lies on
vast libraries for further study. Destroying the scroll could
the floor, its face contorted in agony.
bring on the wrath of both the magocrecy and the cult. The
choice is up to them.
Should anyone enter the chamber, the mummy on the
stone platform rises and attacks.
Treasure: A +1 scimitar, called “Dust”, once held by the
mummy lies on the floor. As an action, the wielder of Dust
Dorreq
can cast fog cloud. Once this action is used, it can’t be used These twitching balls of tentacles surround an inhuman face
again until the next dawn. dominated by a squid-like beak.

6. THE HALL OF SCREAMS Servants of the Void. The dorreqi are servants to ancient
Two wrapped corpses sit in alcoves on the sides of this horrors of the void and realms beyond human understanding.
hallway. Stairs on the far end of the hallway continue down They are guardians and sentries for such creatures, and they
deeper into the temple. Tattered robes lay in a pool of blood swarm and attack any creatures approaching too close to the
on the floor. A black wasp crawls its way out of the gaping elder aberrations they serve.
mouth of the corpse on the left side. Death from Above. Dorreq prefer to drop on their victims
from above, pinning them in a grapple attack with their many
Should any living thing continue into the hall, two tentacles and biting them with their large chitinous beaks.
swarms of insects (black wasps) flow from the mouths of
the corpses and attempt to devour those within the hall. A DORREQ
DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check reveals that Medium aberration, neutral evil
these wasps are not of this world.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
7. THE ALTAR OF V’ATLUS Hit Points 93 (17d8 + 17)
An octagonal stone ziggurat rises up from the center of the Speed 20 ft., climb 15 ft.
floor. Stairs rise to the top of the ziggurat, flanked by a pair
of large carved eyes of deep black. Violet light arcs out from STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
a swirling portal in the ceiling of the chamber above the 19 (+4) 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 8 (–1) 6 (–2)
ziggurat. A corpse in gold and violet robes lies nearby, its head
missing. Another figure stands near the top of the ziggurat, a Saving Throws Dex +6
large scroll is open in his hands. Skills Intimidate +2, Perception +3, Stealth +8
Damage Resistances acid, cold, lightning
Korresh the Whisperer, a cult fanatic of the Black Goat Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
stands on the steps with a large scroll open in his hands. He Languages Void Speech
finishes his last dark incantation and smiles. “It is done”, he
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
says to the characters. “Anax Apogeion hears me!”

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 Entanglement. Any creature that starts its turn within 10
Innate Spellcasting. The dorreq’s innate spellcasting feet of a dorreq must make a successful DC 14 Dexterity
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 10). It can innately saving throw each round or be restrained by the
cast the following spells, requiring no material dorreq’s tentacles until the start of its next turn. On its
components: turn, the dorreq can ignore or freely release a creature in
3/day each: blink, dimension door, haste, shatter the affected area.
Wasteland Stride. This ability works like tree stride,
but the dorreq can use it to sink into and appear
out of any sandy or rocky ground, and the range
is only 30 ft. Using this ability replaces the dorreq’s
usual movement.
Actions
Multiattack. The dorreq makes two tentacle
attacks and one bite attack. If both
tentacle attacks hit, the
target is grappled (escape
DC 14).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:
+6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4)
piercing damage.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon
Attack: +6 to hit, reach
10 ft., one target. Hit: 8
(1d8 + 4) bludgeoning
damage. If both tentacles
hit the same target in a
single turn, the target is
grappled (escape DC 14)
and pulled within reach
of the bite attack, if it was
farther than 5 feet away.
The target must be size Large
or smaller to be pulled this
way. The dorreq can maintain
a grapple on one Large, two
Medium, or two Small
creatures at one time.

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OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the
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