MAZE OF SAND


Hook: The stairs inside the bronze double doors leading south under the main tomb entry to the Maze of Sand, the fire maze, are rough-hewn sandstone... The air is dry, arid, and dark... It smells of stale dust, but, little else... Your torchlight reveals the rough-hewn stairs disappear downward, steeply, into the earth... A gentle breeze stirs the sand at your feet and ruffles any loose hair and clothing, gently... Unsure what that means, you continue, cautiously... 

Details: The Maze of Sand is a treacherous place. The air is always in motion, except right before a 'storm', when it grows absolutely still for 10 minutes. Randomly, 'dust devils', invisible djinni, crop up, rip at clothing and loose objects, blind with sand, and cause great 'dust'raction to those experiencing them. They sweep down corridors, and disappear quickly. The ground outside the maze is loose dirt, rock, and sand. Inside, the firm ground is sandy enough to be considered light terrain, but, it's mostly, stable. The entire structure is made of variegated sandstone of reddish, orange, yellow, and dark material, but, overall a light yellow hue. Nothing is worn, but, sharp, and freshly-carved, as if it were made just yesterday. Any damage suffered to the place is repaired the following day, at midnight. Heat is also an issue, here. Just as the desert grows hot and cold, there are periods of both. Night time is cool, extremely cold on rare occasions), and comfortable, but, the day is sometimes fiercely hot, by comparison, at random times. Even the sand at the characters' feet becomes hot.

CHAMBERS

1. Sandstorm Chamber of Elements - Upon a table are a bronze bowl of water, a lit bronze oil lamp, a bronze bowl of sand, and a small, light, goat-hide bladder of air... Each must be carried across the narrow bridge and placed in the niches in the four pillars without spilling or losing the objects or their contents. Dust devils, invisible djinni, and bird bats, harry those crossing the bridge. Dropping the items makes them reappear on the table.

2. Lava Chamber of the Djinn - A pair of djinn come out of the lava, their home, and ask a riddle, or two, as lammasu statues, and, if answered incorrectly will inhabit the statues and fight any one present, until they leave the chamber. If their riddles are answered, the key is produced.

3. Jar Chamber of the Scorpions - The exits are blocked by iron portcullises upon entering and the bars sealing the north alcoves open, revealing large, simple ceramic jars containing djinni. The vessels must be moved to the proper alcove. If they are broken, placed in the wrong alcove, or opened, at all, the djinni and the jars take the form of large scorpions, and attack anyone nearby. Defeating them makes all the jars vanish and return to their places in the alcoves.

4. Tomb Chamber of the Lammasu King - The tomb of the Lammasu King, a dead, ancient king Rŵnos acquired for his wisdom and courage in life to help him through hardship. So he did not activate the king's curse, he relocated the tomb, and its hoard, in its entirety, inside a special ring he wore. He would visit the king, often. There are skeletal warriors and grave goods located between the pillars. If anyone touches anything, here, the dead come alive, and attack, including the king, himself. Anyone may try to best them, but, they reform, if defeated, after a few moments, and they will always know where any treasure is, and will follow anyone who steals anything until they kill them, and/or get the treasure back. The king himself will give the characters the key, if they can make it to the end without touching anything. If they do, after having the key, the same thing happens. The characters can only get out alive if they take only the key... The king says nothing other than handing the characters the key.

5. Fire Rune Chamber - All 4 keys must be used to open the bronze doors safeguarding this chamber. A large sandstone sphynx statue looms over everything from a high plinth. It comes to life once anyone steps in to the 20'x20' area at the top of the stairs. It flies around, swooping at and trying to knock anyone off the bridge into the darkness, below. Reaching the other side, the 10'x10' space between the smaller statues and the rune stone makes that character safe from the sphynx's attacks. They must make it back the other way, though, with the stone... Once back on the stairs, the sphynx won't attack, anymore.


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