Tyranny of Dragons [Anniversary Edition]

You've entered an i ntersection where eight paths con­ SPLITTI N G T H E PARTY
verge symmetrically. You can see Xonthal's Tower dead
ahead above the hedge wall, but the way the paths cu rve, Some parties are going to try splitting up in the hope
there's no tel ling which one m ight lead to it. of outwitting the maze. No m atter how the characters
attempt to do so, however, they always wind up back
A sundial stands in the center of the intersection, the together. If groups take separate paths, they meet at the
shadow from its gnomon pointing straight toward the same destination. If one character stays at the s u ndial
tower-which is highly odd, because the sun isn't beh ind while others take a path, that path leads back to the sun­
you. You r shadows point in the proper d i rection. Only the d ial where the character is waiting. Moreover, that charac­
sundial's shadow points ahead. ter swears that the others have been gone for l d6 hours­
long enough to gai n the benefit of a short rest (though
The sundial is anchored to the ground and cannot be taking a long rest is impossible in the maze) . As usual, any
moved or shifted. The eight paths leading out of this identifying marks made in the area vanish during those
area are identical. If the characters try to make any iden­ hours without anyone noticing.
tifying marks on the ground or leave items in this area,
the marks and items are gone the next time they arrive The fifth sundial casts eight shadows that point at
here. The adventurers shouldn't know whether they're every possible pathway. No path is the right one. To
coming back to the same spot each time or whether correctly bisect the shadows, characters must move be­
more than one identical sundial intersection exists in tween the paths, straight into the end of any hedge. As
the maze. soon as a character steps, runs, or dives headlong into a
hedge, he or she emerges safely at the foot of the tower.
The sundial's shadow indicates the correct path. If
the characters follow one of the paths not indicated Each time the characters choose a wrong path, they
by the sundial, it leads them to one of the other areas emerge at one of the other maze areas described below,
of the maze (your choice). There is no turning back which you can use in any order you like. If the charac­
from a wrong path. Once the last character has gone ters make the wrong choice more than six times, you
out of sight of the sundial (15 feet along the curving can reuse areas, create new ones of your own, or let the
path), reversing direction delivers all characters to the characters wander down a path much longer than usual
same area they would have reached if they'd kept go­ before encountering the sundial again.
ing forward.
Characters always return to the same sundial puzzle
If the characters take the correct path, they return they most recently departed (sundial 1 through 5), so
to area 1 after 2d6 rounds. Each time they return, the that they do not need to retrace their steps from the very
sundial points toward a different path, in the order pre­ beginning after each wrong turn. However, they have no
sented below. However, each time the characters enter way to tell whether they have returned to the same spe­
this area after the first, the gnomon casts more than cific sundial, as noted above.
one shadow. The adventurers must deduce the correct
path from among multiple shadows, but those solutions COMPLETING THE MAZE
aren't obvious or even fair. Xonthal was trying to keep When the characters complete the maze by successfully
enemies and curiosity-seekers out-notjust to present entering the hedge at the fifth sundial, they emerge
them with an enjoyable mental challenge. within sight of a teleportation circle at the foot of the
tower. The body of a dead cultist lies sprawled on the
SU N DIAL SHADOWS ground (the one Iskander threw off the balcony earlier).
Behind them, the characters see a straight path that
Sundial Shadows Point At Correct Path leads directly to the sundial intersection. Another path
A A extends thirty yards beyond the sundial, ending at the
2 A, C B exit to the village.
3 A, D, F E
4 B, D, F, H Sundial A few seconds after the first character steps onto the
5 A-H Edge of hedge circle, all creatures in the circle are teleported to area 8.
Alternatively, the characters can walk out of the garden
The first three sundials are straightforward, even if from the foot of the tower without any detours or difficul­
the solutions are not always obvious. ties. However, any gems they collected in the maze (see
below) will mysteriously vanish from their possession.
The fourth sundial casts four shadows in an "X"
shape. As the characters examine them, the shadows 2. CHUUL POOL
start slowly rotating around the face of the sundial,
spinning faster and becoming shorter until they shrink F i l l i n g t h e center o ft h i s eighty-foot-square courtyard is
into the gnomon and the sundial shows no shadow at all.
The correct path in this case is the sundial itself. A char­ a circular pool of water sixty feet across. The water is
acter who jumps or climbs onto the sundial is drawn
into its stone surface, then is suddenly dropped out of dark and m urky, reducing visibil ity to about one foot. A
the sky to land harmlessly around sundial 5.
garnet gemstone hovers one foot above the center of the

pool Another path leaves the area through the hedge wall

on the far side of the pool , d i rectly opposite where you

entered.

C HAPTER 1 5 I XONTHAL'S TOWER
152