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 with the specific purpose to kill any intruders that dared venture within. The souls of these unfortunate dead were used to power the Soulmonger, a horrifying machine that spawned the death curse or Toril which would give birth to a new god of death.

"I'm alive! Truly alive, not some undead creature. I don't know why that lich did such a thing...Does he think this whole thing is a game? In any case, we now know who the mastermind is behind this, and our final destination. We must go to the Tomb of which he speaks."

- Celeste, after Acererak let her bypass the death curse to lure her to the Tomb of the Nine Gods.

Location
The Tomb of the Nine Gods was found within the city of Omu, in the heart of the Jungles of Chult. It was 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
Three openings were found along the base of the rocky cliff within which the Tomb of the Nine Gods was built. One passageway faced east and two others 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; the western of the two gave way to the true entrance, connecting to the Tomb of the Nine God'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, descending six floors beneath ground level. Most of the Tomb's levels comprised separate chambers, linked by narrow, trap-lined passageways, cramped crawlspaces, and hidden stone doors that grinded in and out of place.

The first four levels of the Tomb housed the individual resting places of the nine trickster gods. Interspersed amidst them were horrific and often creative machines of death, a means by which Acererak could kill mortals and harvest their 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 connected it with the three levels beneath. Hallways extending out from the stairs led to five distinct rooms; three large chambers to the east, north, and west, the latter of which held two smaller rooms situated just to its north. The westernmost chamber and its adjoining rooms were situated on the far side of an underground river that flowed under and through the level.

The eastern chamber housed the tomb of Moa the jaculi. A crystal case rested atop the tomb, which contained the skull of Nepartak, granddaughter of Omu's last queen, Napaka. The northern chamber held the tomb of Wongo the su-monster, which could only be opened with a trio of golden keys and trapped chests. The chamber immediately west of the staircase included the tomb and skeleton of Obo'laka the zorbo. Obo'laka's tomb housed the Disk of Eyes, which was protected by six wights.

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
The second level of the Tomb—referred to as the Dungeon of Deception—held four large chambers and two smaller rooms that were built around the grand staircase in its center. 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.

Chambers of Horror
Four large chambers and a few small rooms extended out from the grand staircase on the fourth level of the Tomb of the Nine Gods―the Chamber of Horrors―along with one other that was largely inaccessible. This was the last floor that could be reached by those stairs, and the penultimate floor that connected to the smaller, spiral staircase. The hallways connecting the chamber son this level were trapped with acid-filled pits, rolling granite boulders, and of corse, Acererak's undead minions.

Due east of the grand staircase were a series of smaller, elemental cells, each of which housed traps associated with the four elements of the natural world. Just beyond these rooms was the tomb of Shagambi the kamadan. Scores of terracotta warriors protected the tomb and would attack anyone that disturbed its peace. South of Shagambi's tomb was a large chamber referred to as the Maze of Death, where large stone slabs trapped interlopers inside with undead and a sphere of annihilation. A long hallway extending west from the maze led to a small room that housed a mirror of life trapping.

East of the grand staircase was the personal throne room of Acererak, architect of the Tomb of the Nine Gods. Within this chamber, blind undead artists continually painted scenes of gruesome slaughter. One of Acererak's most fearsome undead champions remained interred beneath its stone floor, ready to burst forth and render anyone that dared disturb the lich's personal chamber. Hidden north of throne room was the crypt of Napaka the Sun Queen, the last living monarch of Omu. An enchanted sculpture of a sun threatened to burn away anyone that disrupted the queen's resting place.

Northeast of the throne room was the tomb of Unkh the flail snail. Secret alcoves set into the walls of the tomb housed the remains of ten skeletal minotaurs that would reassemble themselves to attack. Any being than managed to unlock Unkh's tomb became recipient of a supernatural "blessing" from Acererak, such as giant-like strength, the ability to regrow lost limbs, or the power to cough up frogs. Within a small chamber east of the tomb was an enchanted grandfather clock that housed a fabled treasure that originated from beyond Toril.

Gears of Hate
The fifth level of the Tomb—referred to as the Gears of Hate—was very structurally different than those that preceded it. Three room-sized stone gears turned inside swirling waters that poured down from an underground river. Pentagonal chambers were built atop each gear, with open passageways that allowed traversal across the gears, and additional tunnels dug through the adjacent stone. The gears themselves powered the horrific, world-shaping machinery that was found within the Tomb's final level.

This level marked the bottom of the spiral staircase that extended down from the Dungeon of Deception. A pathway extending out from the stairs' endpoint branched out to two paths: one leading south to the corridor that housed Acererak's stone juggernaut, and one north that opened up the vast cavern that held the three gear-chambers. The chamber above the central gear was filled with decomposing plant life, the one to its left held statues that sprayed jets of acid to anyone within, and the rightmost gear-chamber housed creatures from other planes of existence, including Gehenna and Mechanus.

Along the western wall of the cavern was a control room that allowed for configuration and alignment of the gear-chambers. Just north of the control room was a smaller room that housed an armillary sphere. This device depicted the celestial bodies of Realmspace, including Toril and the moon Selûne. When the rings of the sphere were lined up in order, the device would react in one of several fantastic ways, such as bursting forth to reveal thousands of gold pieces, granting the casting of a powerful spell, or teleporting itself and any creatures nearby to other planets in the cosmos.

In addition to the control room and the path leading to the spiral staircase, the cavern in this level house two other passageways. The path along the southeastern cavern wall led to the 'Hall of the Golden Mastadon', which housed a famous relic of a hero that battled their way though the Nine Hells. The northern path led to the extraplanar engine that powered the Tomb of the Nine Gods' deadly machinery and seemingly infinite traps: two planar vortices linked by Mechanus chains, operated by a small squadron of modrons stranded from their home plane. A hallways adjacent to this engine room housed stairs leading down tot he final level.

Cradle of the Death God
The flight of stairs leading down from the floor above opened directly into the Tomb's last level, the Cradle of the Death God. The first chamber within housed the lair of the Sewn Sisters, the coven of night hags that aided Acererak in his plot to birth life into a new god of death. Five smaller chambers linked to the hags' den, housing a series of sick games and trials. The completion of each trial was required to reveal the secrets of the massive Skeleton Gate that sealed the nursery of the atropal. Five humanoid-sized 'skeleton keys', each with geometric figures formed from their skulls, could be found throughout the first five levels of the Tomb, and used to unlock the barriers of the Skeleton Gate.

Beyond the gate was the massive, triangular room that housed the Soulmonger and Acererak's darkest experiment. The room had no visible floor beyond a point, and was blanketed with molten lava. Balconies along the south-facing walls housed the phylacteries of the liches that served Acererak, even those operating beyond Toril.

A swirling, misty portal on the southernmost tip of the chamber led to a dark and malevolent temple called the Chapel of Hate. It was this from location that Acererak planned to spawn his own god of death. Just beyond the temple was a library that housed a number of esoteric tomes and powerful spellbooks.

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.

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 he thought to reawaken, 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 Tomb of the Nine Gods was crawling with many horrific creatures, including giant, four-armed gargoyles, various baatezu, swarms of spiders and bats, "wine wierds", at least one doppelganger, shambling mounds, and an enthralled aboleth. A number of modrons made their "home" in one of the lower levels of the tomb, but they were considered by many to be far less horrific than the rest.

Among the profane undead that could be found within its halls were zombies, ghasts, wights, giant minotaur skeletons, flesh golems, crawling claws, bodaks, and will-o'-wisps.

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.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Belchorzh, the invisible beholder guardian of the Vault of Reflection.
 * G'lyh'rul, an aboleth that laired in the subterranean waters found in the Gears of Hate.
 * Withers, the Tomb's resident custodian and head of the tomb dwarf maintenance team.
 * Keshma al-Wazir, a dao genie that had been taken from her native Elemental Plane of Earth.
 * Mr. Fox, an arcanaloth that remained trapped within the tomb's Red Library.
 * 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.

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