Tomb of the Nine Gods

The Tomb of the Nine Gods was the sprawling dungeon complex located under the ruined city of Omu in Chult that housed the remains of the city's nine trickster gods. It was built by the lich Acererak specifically to kill any that dared enter within. The souls of these unfortunate dead would empower the Soulmonger, a horrifying machine that ________.

Location
The Tomb was found within the city of Omu, in the heart of the Jungles of Chult, situated between the Valley of Lost Honor and the Peaks of Flame.

Just outside the Tomb was a mysterious obelisk that emanated a strong aura of abjuration magic and held a fiendish presence within. Beneath the overgrowth that covered it's façade was inscribed a warning from Acererak himself.

Structure
"The enemies oppose. One stands between them. In darkness, it hides. Don the mask or be seen. Speak no truth to the doomed child. The keys turn on the inside only."

- Acererak's first warning, inscribed upon the black obelisk.

Exterior
There were three openings along the cliff face at the site of the Tomb, one that faced east and two that opened to the north. The east-facing passage opened to the 'Gallery of Tricksters', which housed statues of the nine trickster gods. The eastern of the two north-facing openings was a trapped, false entrance to the Tomb, while the western passageway gave entry to the Tomb's first level.

Underground
The Tomb of the Nine Gods was carved into natural stone at the base of and beneath a rocky cliff in the Chultan jungle. It descended six levels between ground level; most levels comprised separate chambers, linked by narrow, trap-lined passageways, cramped crawlspace, and hidden sliding-stone doors.

The first four levels of the Tomb housed the individual resting places of the nine trickster gods, along with the horrific and often creative death machines by which Acererak could harvest souls. The chambers on each of these floors were constructed around a large square cavity within which was a grand staircase. Acererak offered a second warning on a plaque above these stairs.

The fifth floor comprised a vast undersea waterway that powered colossal-sized machinery, which in turn powered Acererak's horrific, soul-devouring device.

Interior
"The ring is a path to another tomb. The dead abhor sunlight. Only a jewel can tame the frog. Bow as the dead god intoned. Into darkness descend."

- Acererak's second warning.

Atmosphere
The Tomb of the Nine Gods was a foreboding and grim locale, that inspired absolute terror in anyone that stepped foot inside. Few beams natural light passed through the stonework of Tomb to illuminate its halls and the air within was humid and stale.

The twisted and often desecrated remains of slain adventurers and treasure-seekers were scattered throughout the Tomb.

Supernatural Effects
Magic did not function within the Tomb of the Nine Gods as it otherwise would. Any form of translocation magic failed outright, or deposited the caster and others into a corpse-filled chamber. Divination spells and those that allowed for long-distance communication similarly would not work within the Tomb.

Rotten Halls
The entrance to first level of the Tomb―known as the Rotten Halls―gave way to the central staircase that linked it with three levels beneath. Hallways extending out from the stairs led to five distinct rooms; three large chambers to the east, north, and west, with two smaller rooms situated above the westernmost chamber. The three western rooms were situated on the other side of an underground river.

The eastern chamber housed the tomb of Moa the jaculi, atop which rested a crystal case that housed the skull of Nepartak, granddaughter of Omu's last queen, Napaka. The northern chamber held the tomb of Wongo the su-monster, along with its mummified remains. The chamber immediately west of the central stairs included the tomb and skeleton of Obo'laka the zorbo, along with the Disk of Eyes and the six wights to which it was linked.

Two smaller rooms were situated north of Obo'laka's tomb. The first featured a rusted statue of a knight that non-magnetically attracted and disintegrated metal objects, while the room beyond housed a fountain that imparted several magical effects upon anyone that drank upon its waters.

Dungeon of Deception
Four larger chambers were built around the grand staircase in second level of the Tomb—referred to as the Dungeon of Deception—along with two smaller rooms. Immediately south of the the stairs was the tomb of Papazotl the eblis, which held a treasure-laden sarcophagus and scores of skeletal protectors. West of the stairs was a false tomb that housed a devious trap: any interlopers would be trapped inside as the chamber slowly filled with red wine and drown everyone within. Situated between these two areas in the southeast was the tomb of Nangnang the grung, within which was trapped a gray slaad.

Returning back to the grand staircase and venturing north led to a small room that housed a relief sculpture of a horrific devil's face. Mournful cries of agony emanated from the devil's mouth and the darkness within could burst outward in the form of a swarm of bats.

West of the grand staircase was the personal office of Withers, the Tomb's custodian, and it was from there he directed his army of crawling claws. A ways bit east and north was the Forge of the Tomb Dwarves. The undead dwarves that maintained the Tomb used this chamber to sew together flesh of the recently deceased and forge armor for the tomb guardians that prowled the Tomb of the Nine Gods' passageways. Situated between the office and the forge room was a circular staircase that continued down to Tomb's 5 level.

Vault of Reflection
The third level of the Tomb of Tomb of Nine Gods―the Vault of Reflection―was far more complex than the previous two. Debris-filled hallways and narrow crawlspaces snaked though the numerous chambers set on this level. One of these tunnels were set into a rotating, circular stone platform that could easily confuse anyone attempting to crawl their way though.

The path south of the grand staircase led to numerous passages and tunnels that connected two separate, elongated chambers: the Reflected Hall to the east, and the Winds of Pandemonium to the southeast. The Reflected Hall actually comprised two, partially flooded hallways that mirrored one another, separated by a curtain of shimmering water. Statues of armed, beast-headed humanoids flanked either sides of the Hall. The chamber known as the Winds of Pandemonium held two balconies on either of its shorter sides, each overlooking a deep pit. Five circular wooden platforms floated at certain intervals within chamber. The platforms were navigable by jumping from one to the next, though the tempestuous winds that could whip through the hall added some degree of difficulty.

Due north of the grand staircase was the tomb of I'jin, the almiraj. It was only accessible from the passageway to the east via the reflected hall and could only be opened after completing a series of puzzles involving tiles on the floor. Successfully interpreting its hieroglyphs would reveal correct path of tiles to walk upon to reach I'jin's sarcophagus; any incorrect move caused four gynosphinx statues to spew forth swarms of locusts that would attack anyone within.

The hallway that opened up west from the grand staircase led to three rooms of varying size. Situated along the southern wall was a room that housed the golden skull of a renowned Omuan entertainer; the skull was enchanted in such a way to follow anyone that disturbed its resting place. Along the northern wall was the tomb of Kubazan, the froghemoth, which was decorated with several frescoes depicting his life. Kubazan's sarcophagus could only be opened by performing a specific ritual, which among other things involved eating an insect. The western end of the hall opened into larger chamber, which was partitioned by three curtains. These curtains depicted scenes of nobles indulging in a grand feast that devolved into depravity and bloodlust, spurred on by the 'Lord of the Feast'.

The final chambers situated in the southwestern area of this level were accessible either by the Winds of Pandemonium to the east, the room with the golden skull to the north, or by a long narrow passageway that extended out from the Reflected Hall. Set within the first chamber was a deep pit, covered by an invisible wall of force, within which stood an inert clay golem. Just beyond was a large circular chamber known as the Vault of the Beholder, protected by a magically sealed door. The vault housed a grand treasure, protected by an aberrant guardian and it's deceptive simulacrum.

Activities
While the Tomb's original purpose was merely to house the Nine Trickster Gods, Acererak gained new intention for his creation. After his travels led him to an atropal―a stllborn god that languished as a mass of undead flesh―Acereak came to believe he could give birth to a new Torillian god of death. The Tomb would attract adventurers from across the Realms, slay them with sickening efficiency, and Acererak would feed their souls to the atropal by means of the Soulmonger.

In order to lure those greedy and power-hungry adventurers within, Acererak placed within the Tomb many powerful magical items, along with legendary treasures from across the Realms. Notable among these were the Black Opal Crown, the Eye of Zaltec, the Navel of the Moon, and the Skull Chalice of Ch'gakare.

Caretakers
The Tomb's intricate trap systems and machinations of murder were maintained by a single custodian, a flesh golem called Withers, and a crew of albino dwarves that had been slain and raised as wights. Withers oversaw the tomb dwarves' operations and commanded a small army of crawling claws to carry out repairs and maintenance throughout the Tomb.

Defenses
For a time, the area around the Tomb and its entrance were guarded by Ras Nsi and his fellow yuan-ti cultists of Dendar the Night Serpent. Acererak manipulated the yuan-ti leader, who had been afflicted by the death curse.

The passageways within the Tomb were patrolled by tomb guardians, armored flesh golems that patrolled the Tomb and reset triggered traps. They were forged from the corpses of slain adventurers by the undead tomb dwarves.

History
After the lich Acererak murdered the nine gods of Omu, he enslaved the city's inhabitants and forced them to build the Tomb of the Nine Gods, employing a number of them as architects and designers for the tomb's traps. When construction of the Tomb was complete, he forced the Omuan slaves into its traps to ensure the deadliness of their creations.

While traveling across the multiverse, Acererak came upon the atropal ______ and nestled it within the heart of the Tomb.

Some time during the late 15 century DR, a band of adventurers traveling through Omu came across the Tomb of the Nine Gods and willing chose to venture inside. While their exact reasons for exploring the Tomb were unknown, they delved into the dungeon at a time when several other interested parties sought treasures within. During their expedition, several of these adventurers were inhabited by the spirits of the nine trickster gods, who imposed upon them their own personal flaws, while granting them significant supernatural power.

Acererak was not deterred after his plot was thwarted and the Tomb of the Nine Gods destroyed. He began to gather new minions to repopulate his favored dungeon.

Some years later, two different groups delved into the Tomb of the Nine Gods in search of a tome of great importance. The Thayan knight Seddikai Sharpblade and their cohorts entered into the Tomb in search of the book entitled The Death of the Mind, followed soon after by Zehira Deryan and her allies, who sought the book for a sage named Alsbith. Zehira and her companions were successful in its recovery and the agents of the Red Wizards were thwarted in their mission.

Inhabitants
The Omuan that designed the most effective traps was turned undead, and made into the tomb's overseer.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Belchorzh, the invisible beholder guardian of the Vault of Reflection.
 * Withers, the Tomb's resident custodian and
 * The nine trickster gods, whose spirits were captured in certain magic items and placed within specially-designed chambers in the Tomb.
 * The Sewn Sisters, the coven of night hags that aided Acererak in his goal to nourish the atropal to godhood.

A number of creatures, undead or otherwise, were left behind in the dungeon by Acererak as guards. Some of note are listed here.
 * Belchorzh - A beholder lived in a massive chamber at the tomb's third level, using a large number of eye growths to observe and attack invaders. It was rendered permanently invisible by a Wish-spell, and enjoyed taunting invaders as it fought.
 * Blind Artists - a number of blind undead lived on the fourth level of the tomb, where they painted grotesque scenes of carnage and death that occurred in the tomb.
 * Omu Royalty - The queen of Omu, Napaka, hailed as the Sun Queen, attempted to offer herself in her people's stead when Acererak destroyed Omu. Acererak was impressed by her courage. Not enough to spare her people, but enough to give her a gilded tomb within the tomb's 4th level, as well as letting her spirit pass on undisturbed. Her ten-year-old granddaughter, Nepartak, was not as lucky. She was turned into a flame skull, and left on the first level of the dungeon, where centuries of isolation made her block out all awareness of the trauma.
 * G'lyh'rul - Acererak enslaved an Aboleth and left it on the 5th level of the dungeon. The trauma of Acererak's enslavement made it develop a split personality. It's original personality awaits the atropal's ascension to godhood, believing it to herald the end of the gods. It's other personality is far more benevolent. It acts like a humanoid child, curious and gleeful.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tomb of Annihilation
 * Video Games
 * Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation
 * Board Games
 * Tomb of Annihilation • Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Tomb of Annihilation
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Dreams of Red Wizards (Thimbelrigging)
 * Shadows in the Stacks • The Death of Szass Tam • Turn Back the Endless Night
 * Shadows in the Stacks • The Death of Szass Tam • Turn Back the Endless Night