Demon God's Fane - 5e Conversion

Demon God's Fane is another old Monte Cook adventure that I am going to convert to 5th edition as part of my upcoming campaign. This adventure was made for 3rd edition D&D, published as a third party product.

The group has just learned about the lifebane, an intangible, sentient force of chaos and evil spewing from somewhere (the labyrinth of madness, they'll learn). 

The Umbral Taint: This adventure has a concept very similar to the lifebane. It's called the umbral taint, and it is coming from a dungeon linked to a forgotten demon lord named Ochremeshk. This dungeon is built inside a massive statue that is submerged in a lake. 

For my campaign, I'm going to basically combine the lifebane and the umbral taint. I'll say that the lifebane spewing forth from the labyrinth has weakened the demon god's fane enough so that the umbral taint seeped out into the surrounding area.

The map for this place is a bit different than most. Because it's built vertically, there's not a lot of connecting hallways. It's a bit like Baba Yaga's hut in that every room is basically it's own thing. I feel like I might get confused remembering what stairwell connects to what room.

Golden Lake: This town is in a remote area. The citizens do a lot of fishing in the actual lake. They are unaware that the Demon God's Fane is submerged in the lake.

History

• Long ago, this area was home to a cult of Ochremeshk.
• This region was once known as the Vale of Fears, a place where the sun ceased to shine.
• The cult was once led by a lich named Sussint-ir. She was overthrown by a half-demon named Lytaros Fel. A balor named Charmachnar ruled the cult somewhere in there, too.
  
• Enchelious: A cleric of good, led a small army against the cult. Three miracles helped him overcome the cult. His goddess, Umbra, brought down rain and filled the vale of fears. 
• The cult has been magically trapped inside the fane ever since. But now the magic is weakening.
  

Current Events

• Drought: A drought has lowered the lake and revealed the top of the statue. 
• The umbral taint, a demonic essence similar to a virus, has seeped out.
• The taint corrupts people, turning them evil.
• To those who can see it, the taint looks like a large demonic insect attached to the upper back of the corrupted.
• Inside the fane, Lytaros Fel wants to use a ritual to go back in time and kill Enchelious. 

Adventure Summary

• The heroes investigate murders in Golden Lake (the killer has been corrupted by the Umbral Taint).
• The Graven Ones, a band of powerful heroes, are fighting one another due to the corruption of the umbral taint.
• By saving the Graven Ones, the heroes can learn about the history and realize that they need to go into the fane to eliminate the umbral taint.
• Inside the fane, the heroes will need to access the fane's heart. They'll have to step into three magic pentagrams and partake in sacraments in order to access the fane's heart.
  
• The heroes will probably go back in time to prevent the assassination attempt on the life of Enchelious.

Darkness Comes to Golden Lake

The Umbral Taint: Spreads like a contagious disease through prolonged contact.

• The host falls under its chaotic evil control. 
• It gives the victim spell powers.
• If you have true sight, you can see the taint - An insectoid shadow creature attached to the victim's upper back.
• Immune: Those who are immune to disease can't be affected by the umbral taint.
• Cure: A banishment spell rids a creature of the umbral taint.  

The Village of Golden Lake

Population: 423 Ruler: Reeve Dallen Styne. 

• The Lake: 1 mile wide, 6 miles long. 300-400 feet deep.
  
• Taggert's Taphouse: Taggert is a dwarf who secretly fears water. Decor: fishnets, harpoons, oars.
• Boarding House: 1 sp per night. Run by Nesther Mench, who likes to hear gossip. Food: fish, venison, turkey, spiced tea.
• The Pier: Where boats are moored. Shackhouses, nets.
• Fish Oil House: Where 12 people extract fish oil and put it into small kegs.
• Kraun's Store: General Storn. Kraun is a tall, thin man who squints.
• Red's Smithy: Red Ginter is the blacksmith. Has two sons. He's got a big bushy beard.
• Tannery: Here, Lasel Philis sells leather goods. She is a young woman with white hair.
• Church: One room chapel. Run by Greddan Silvos, a 3rd level cleric. He's an emotional fellow.

Investigation

This adventure starts out with a search for a killer. I'm going to skip all this stuff. 

My Campaign: My group will have met the Graven Ones back in the first adventure (A Question of Ethics). The Graven Ones have an interest in buying some shiftspice. The heroes land their ship in the lake, and will need to get some carts to bring their crates to the home of the Graven Ones.

Graven Ones

A group of 12 spellcasters who live in a place called Sigil Hearth, which is 6 miles from Golden Lake. It is a dark stone keep.

They sell potions, scrolls, and magic tattoos!

Erepoth: Their leader. Elderly half-elf in gray robes. Runes cover his flesh.

When the heroes arrive, Tyrestina is attacking her allies. She's been corrupted by the umbral taint. Her pet grey render (a Monte Cook favorite) is fighting at her side. This encounter is "hard" for lvl 14 characters 0- they're facing a CR 12 and a CR 9.

Gray Render: Mordenkainen's pg 209 Let's say that the Graven Ones have given him a Barrier Tattoo (Tasha's pg 122) which gives it an AC of 18.

Tyrestina: Evoker, Volo's pg 214 (She's got stoneskin going, so she has resistance to non-magic attacks, and she can sculpt spells around her gray render buddy) She also has a Lifewell Tattoo (Tasha's pg 129) Which means she has resistance to necrotic and when she is reduced to 0 HP, she drops to 1 HP instead.

The heroes will have met and possibly befriended Tyrestina in an adventure previous to this one. They can cure her with a banishment spell.

Once the conflict is dealt with, the Graven Ones can share some information with the group, detailing the origin of the fane. They'll ask the heroes to go in there and take care of it.

Finding the Fane

As the heroes prepare to go out on the lake and find the top of the fane, it turns out that 2 hezrous have escaped. These creatures are a "medium" encounter for a 14th lvl group:

• 2 Hezrous: Monster Manual pg 60
  

Into the Fane: The hatch on the top is arcane locked (PH pg 215). It can be bypassed with a password (the hezrous know it).

Walls: 2 feet thick, not harmed by disintegrate spells

Doors: Stone, carved with scenes of mayhem

Light: Dim, red, flickering continual flames

Demon Skull Fonts: Many rooms in the fane have a demon skull font, which issues forth dark blood from its mouth and eyes.These fonts have special properties:

• Drink: Fiends/undead regain 4d8+7 HP. Other creatures take 25 psychic dmg. Drinker also receives telepathic information from anyone who bleeds into a font. 
• Each font contains d4+1 draughts.
• Using Holy Water on a Font: Causes a font to cease to function.

Scrying: Blocked.

Ethereal Alarm: Anyone who passes through a wall/floor/ceiling triggers a magical silent alarm that alerts Distania the succubus (MM pg 285). She becomes ethereal and tracks down the intruder, possibly charming them. 

Flooding the Fane: The Fane cannot be flooded. It magically keeps the lake water out. If you become wet in the fane, it evaporates almost immediately.

If the fane's heart is destroyed or disabled, the fane can be flooded as normal.

The Pentagrams

In this dungeon, the group will come upon three pentagrams in 3 separate rooms. Each pentagram has a different word inscribed in it. Stepping in to a pentagram takes you to an Abyssal realm where you must take a "sacrament" of Ochremeshk:

• Room 5 - The Iron Chimera - "Eat" (Eat a red wafer that makes non-evil sick)
  
• Room 13 - Hilt Sphere - "Breathe" (Inhale incense, makes you smarter, but weaker later)
  
• Room 22 - Mistresses of the Night -  "Burn" (put your hand in black fire)
  

Once you have taken all three sacraments, you can go to room 26 and touch the smoke there. A magical doorway forms, opening to room 28.

Areas of the Fane

On Top of the Fane: Hatch/Plug: 2 feet diameter, arcane locked (PH pg 215). If the plug is somehow destroyed, it magically re-forms 10 minutes later.

1. The Smiling Demon: Complicated room! Here's the deal:

1. You stick pins in the statue. 
2. Statue opens its mouth, revealing a key. 
3. Use the key on the invisible sphere flying around the room. 
4. This causes a hole to open in the floor that leads to room 2.

Statue: Man with yellow eyes (has soft parts on its chest)

• Onyx Box: At the feet of the statue. In the box are needles.
• Leather: The statue is wrapped in black leather.

Demonskull Font: Details above.

Invisible Sphere: 6 inches across. Floats about the room. 

• It can lift up to 300 pounds.
• Pick Lock: DC 25. Once unlocked, a 10 ft. square hole appears in the floor, leads to room 2.

2. Chamber of Hooks: Walls covered in hooks, floor is a mazelike pattern.

Two Doors: Both arcane locked (PH pg 215). 

• Open: Pour two pints of liquid into floor.

Search Room: Find peepholes, find secret lever in a hook.

Going back to Room 1: Hidden in a hook is a gem-studded lever that will open the hole in the ceiling.

3. Guard Room: Iron table, corpse of a man who killed self.

• Demonskull Font

Door: Locked. DC 25. The key to it is lost.

4. Armory: On the table are weapons made from red metal. 

5. The Iron Chimera:

Moving in the Room: If you move more than half your speed in a turn, you must make a DC 15 acrobatics check or be scraped by a hook, taking 5 piercing damage and fall prone.

I based the chimera on an iron golem, which is a CR 16, "medium" difficulty encounter for the group.

Iron Chimera: AC 20 HP 210 Spd 30, fly 60
STR 24 DEX 11 CON 20 INT 3 WIS 14 CHA 1
Darkvision 60 ft.

Damage Immunities: Fire, Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Adamantine

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned

• Fire Absorption: Whenever the golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt.
• Immutable Form: The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
• Magic Resistance: The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Magic Weapons: The golem's weapon attacks are magical.

Attacks:

• Multiattack: The chimera makes three attacks: one with its bite, one with its horns, and one with its claws. When its fire breath is available, it can use the breath in place of its bite or horns.
• Bite: +13 to hit, 20 (3d8+7) piercing dmg
• Horns: +13 to hit, 23 (3d10+7) bludgeoning dmg
• Claws: +13 to hit, 20 (3d8+7) slashing
• (Rchg 5-6) Fire Breath: 15 foot cone, each creature makes a DEX save DC 19, taking 45 (10d8) fire on a fail, half dmg on a success

Pentagram: 10 feet across, made of glowing red energy. Word in center: "Eat."

• Step in: Teleported to the Nightmare Chamber on pg 40.

When a character steps into a pentagram, they appear in an Abyssal realm on a circular platform hovering above lava. There is a hole in the center of the pentagram, where a wall of force/"lift" can lower the group down to an invisible platform just above the lave.

When the heroes stand on the invisible platform, a quasit (MM pg 63) appears holding a sacrament that correlates to the pentagram they had stepped in.

• Body: The character is offered a red wafer with a demon's face on it. A non-evil character who does so must make a CON save DC 15 or is poisoned until their next long rest. Once at least one character partakes, they are teleported back to room 5.
  

6. The Black Cocoon: 8 large ovoid objects, iron guillotine, demonskull font.

Cocoons: If disturbed, 8 bodaks emerge from them.

Guillotine: Runes on the blade (Abyssal writing): "Feed on the blood of their necks, oh Mighty Lord."

8 Bodaks: Volo's pg 127 (remember, they have an aura that does 5 necrotic - and the aura dmg stacks, as far as I know - and when a creature starts their turn and sees their eyes, they must make a CON sv DC 13 and, if they fail by 5+, drop to 0 HP!

So... just 5 bodaks is a deadly encounter for a group of lvl 14 heroes. I've decided to just go ahead and let the 8 bodaks be in here and see what happens. There might no necessarily even be a fight in here if the group doesn't touch the cocoons, and I'd say the group would have at least one round to flee/prepare while the bodaks emerge from their cocoons.

7. Vrock Roost: The group starts off on trapped stairs. 2 vrocks (MM pg 64) lurk in this room.

We got ourselves some trapped stairs. It goes like this:

1. The heroes head down the steps to get to room 7.
2. There is a feather on one step (it's nothing - a red herring).
3. The final step is trapped. Who ever steps on the final step is stunned and flung into the room, while bars drop from the ceiling and trap the rest of the group on the stairwell. 
4. 1 vrock attacks the isolated hero, while the other uses magic missiles to pummel the rest of the group.

Final Step: 2 saves: CON save DC 15 or stunned (save at the end of each turn to remove) and DEX save DC 20 or be flung 20 feet into the room.

Iron Bars: This room has a "roost" of iron bars. Touching a bar does 15 lightning damage (the vrocks are immune). 

2 Vrocks: (MM pg 64) One has a wand of magic missiles (DMG pg 211).

This is an "easy" encounter for a 14th lvl group of characters.

Treasure: Obsidian bracelet worth 1,000 gp.

8. Vrock Lair: This is where the vrocks live. There is a torture rack in here.

• Demonskull Font

Nest of Bones: 341 gp, gold ring worth 150 gp, vrock spores: A 15­-foot­-radius cloud of toxic spores extends out from the vrock. The spores spread around corners. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, a target takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Emptying a vial of holy water on the target also ends the effect on it.

Torture Device: A rack with a corpse on it. Has runes - Abyssal writing: "Although this sacrifice is long in coming, enjoy its sweet suffering, dark master, as much as its soul."

9. Master of Defenses: There's a glabrezu in here, and a magic iron throne. Sit on it, I dare you!

• Demonskull Font

Blade Chandelier: Plaque on it reads: "As this sacrifice's blood drains down upon the throne, Ochermeshk, know that we speak your name in reverent tones."

Iron Throne: Sit on the throne:

• You are held immobile by wire and vines (no saving throw!) Does 5 slashing damage per round.
• Escape the vines: STR check DC 25, or cut to wires (wires have 4 HP each).
• If a person sitting on the throne says "Ochremeshk" they receive the Mantle of Egregious Might! Gain the effects of a potion of heroism (immune to being frightened, gain 7 temporary HP at the start of each turn) for 4 hours and have the ability to raise/lower the prismatic walls that block rooms 10 and 14 (see pg 19).
  

Sekeren the Glabrezu: (MM pg 58) It should probably start off by using power word stun (PH pg 267). COn sv DC 16, fail = stunned!

The glabrezu is an "easy" fight. This is fine to me... I am a little worried that this dungeon will feel like a slog. Having some of the nonessential encounters be easy means the group can breeze through some areas and we're moving along at a brisk pace.

10. Hall of Paintings: Walls covered in paintings (there is a secret door behind one painting, reveals stairs to room 16).

Paintings: There are 10 paintings, each 4 feet tall x 8 feet across.Removing a painting requires a DC 15 WIS save or you can't bring yourself to do it. Removing 3+ paintings will trigger a secret warning to Distania the succubus (MM pg 285).

1. Building the Fane: Cultists laboring.
2. Finished Fane: Nobody around.
3. The First Revel: Cultists cavorting with trolls, hags, and demons.
4. Sacrifices for the Demon God: Dozens of sacrifices.
5. Blood Hunters: Mortals riding nightmares, dragging kidnapped victims away.
6. Sekeren: Glabrezu sitting on the Iron Throne
7. Charmachnar, Master of the Fane: A balor standing on a pile of corpses.
8. Sussinst-ir, High Priestess: A bald half-elf with a staff topped with a demonic head.
9. Lytaros Fel + Distania: A satyr-looking half-demon and a succubus... in love.
10. Ochremeshk, Demon God: A huge demon lord surrounded by tormented  souls.

11. Distania: Lavish Bedchamber (hidden in the pillows are keys to the chest and secret door)

• Demonskull Font

Chest: (trapped and locked DC 15) Trap: poison insanity mist CON save DC 15. In the chest:

• Cloak of Elvenkind (DMG pg 158)
  
• Demonskull Talisman (gives you advantage one time, turns to dust when used)
• Bag containing 12 pearls, each worth 50 gp (total value 600 gp)
  

Furnishings: Wardrobe contains silky, sheer clothing, cosmetics and perfumes worth 500 gp. I feel like we need to make up some succubus perfumes:

• Come Hither: A floral bouquet of rose and jasmine with a touch of vanilla to deepen.
• Flirtatious Touch: A blend of patchouli, praline, red berries, and vanilla encapsulating the following three facets: "celestial, delicious, and voluptuous."
• Slip of the Tongue: It has a full-bodied scent—powdery but complimented with notes of vanilla, amber, iris, and bergamot. It is sultry and ever-lasting.

Secret Door: Locked, sloping passage to room 13.

Distania: Succubus (MM pg 285)

12. The Beloved of Distania: Silk pillows, groaning corpses.

This room contains 10 undead lovers of the succubus (each killed by her touch), who are calling to her. 

10 wights: MM pg 300

This is a "hard" encounter for a lvl 14 party. I'm not sure I'm going to run this as a combat. I think it's just an interesting thing that makes Distania unique - this is what happens to her "lovers." I do like the idea of them crawling to and grabbing heroes, begging them to bring Distania to them, triggering their Life Drain power in the process.

13. Hilt Sphere: Spherical room, pentagram.

Pentagram: Step inside, it teleports you to the Nightmare Chamber on page 40.

When a character steps into a pentagram, they appear in an Abyssal Realm on a circular platform hovering above lava. There is a hole in the center of the pentagram, where a wall of force/"lift" can lower the group down to an invisible platform just above the lava.

When the heroes stand on the invisible platform, a quasit appears holding a sacrament that correlates to the pentagram they had stepped in.

• If you came from Room 13 - Breath: The quasit is holding a bronze incense burner. Inhale: CON sv DC 15. Fail: Gives you advantage on INT-based skill checks, but once you take a rest, that effect goes away and you are poisoned until your next long rest. Once at least one character partakes, the group is teleported back to room 13.
  

14. Demon Giants: 

• Demonskull Font

Bed Chambers: Iron bed, pot of burning coals, bags.

• Erche's Bag: Potion of cold resistance (DMG pg 188), potion of vitality (DMG pg 188), Battered idol of Ochremeshk, 43 sp.
• Burch's Bag: 3 copper skulls (worth 45 gp each), potion of invisibility (DMG pg 188), potion of fire giant strength (DMG pg 187), potion of speed (DMG pg 188)

2 Fire Giants: MM pg 154

Two fire giants is a medium difficulty encounter for a party of 14th level heroes.

Secret Door: Leads to area 16.

15. Fire Pit: This is a large pit that the heroes might end up getting teleported into via traps in other rooms. There is a magically fireproof chest in the fire.

• Runes: Abyssal Language: "Accept the lives of these burning sacrifices, Lord Ochremeshk. Their charred flesh and screams of agony are yours."
  
• Fire: These magic flames destroy everything and emit no smoke.
• Heat: 10 fire damage when you enter or start your turn.

Chest: The fire giants, immune to fire, have put a magically fireproof chest in here. The chest is hot to the touch (10 fire damage) and has bands wrapped around it that must be removed (STR check DC 20).

• The interior of the chest is magically cool. Contains 2,310 gp, goblet worth 80 gp, rubies worth 550 gp, 2 golden platters worth 240 gp total, and a malachite flask worth 400 gp.

Teleport: Characters might appear in this fire pit if they tried to teleport in room 22. Same with room 25.

16. Flesh Golems: This room has trapped stairs. The middle step is trapped. If you step on it:

1. Iron bars seal the group in a cage.
2. The cage interior is an antimagic field (PH pg 213 - spells can't be cast, magic items don't work)
3. 5 flesh golems with polearms (15 foot reach +7/+7 9 dmg) stab at the group through the bars.

5 Flesh golems: MM pg 169

This is a "hard" encounter for a 14th lvl group.

17. Holy Ghost: In this room is a friendly ghost.

• Demonskull font

Galla, Paladin of Good: Ghost (MM pg 147) She has a lot of information to share:

• To Destroy the Fane's Heart: You must step into all 3 pentagrams in the fane. Then you can activate the transporter to the Fane's Heart.
• Lytaros Fel: Lytaros Fel runs this place now. He killed the former leader, a lich. He is trying to warp reality/timeso that the fane was never submerged int he lake. 
• Holy Sword: Galla had a holy sword, but the bad guys took it. (This sword is in the pit in room 26)
  

18. Tendrils of Death: There are 4 ropers, who will try to get into a "tug of war", trying to pull a character apart.

• Demonskull Font

4 Ropers: MM pg 261

This is a "medium" encounter for lvl 14 heroes

19. Guardians: 3 trolls lurk in here, along with an iron cage containing an animated skeleton. If there's noise, the troll from room 20 will probably come running.

Skeleton: If destroyed, it reforms.

3 Trolls: MM pg 291

This is a medium encounter... hard if the spirit troll joins.

20. Lasteresh's Pool: Large basin full of water - this is where the hezrou lived.

• Demonskull Font

Runes: Abyssal Language: "The drowning screams that come from the murders in this pool are yours, oh Mighty Ochremeshk."

Troll Commander: Spirit Troll (Volo's pg 244). I like the troll variants in Volo's! This one can move through objects and creatures, and its bite stuns.

21. T'Lurg's Chamber: T'Lurg is an old, wrinkly, ogre mage, who will flee to room 22, where he hopes the hags will help him deal with the characters.

T'Lurg the Ogre Mage: Oni MM pg 239. Not a threat to the group. If it is going to flee, it could make itself invisible or assume gaseous form.

22. Mistresses of the Night: In this room are two night hags riding retrievers. This room has a magical effect that redirects attempts at teleportation.

• Demonskull Font

Teleportation Redirect: Any character who tries to teleport in here, appears in the fire pit in room 15.

Pentagram: "Burn" Step in, teleport to Nightmare Chamber on page 40.

When a character steps into a pentagram, they appear in an Abyssal Realm on a circular platform hovering above lava. There is a hole in the center of the pentagram, where a wall of force/"lift" can lower the group down to an invisible platform just above the lava.

When the heroes stand on the invisible platform, a quasit appears holding a sacrament that correlates to the pentagram they had stepped in.

• Black Fire: The quasit holds a burning silver brazier shaped like a skull. Put your hand in: Take 5 necrotic dmg, HP Max reduced until you are healed by good magic. Once at least one character partakes, the group is teleported back to room 22.
  

2 Demon Pillars with Watching Eyes: Can summon 2 retrievers per hour

• Retrievers: Mordenkainen's pg 222
  
• If you touch the pillars and say "Ochremeshk," you teleport to room 24.

Kadara and Vumul: 2 night hags (MM pg 178) I am thinking that the hags will just go ethereal and let their retrievers do their thing.
2 Retrievers: Mordenkainen's pg 222

OK... a retriever is a CR 14 monster! The adventure wants two of them in here. Just one retriever, alone, is a "medium" threat. I think what I'll do is, see how the group is rolling along. If they're using spells like banishment to clear out threats, then I'll leave both retrievers in. But if not, I'll just give the hags one retriever.

23. The Hags' Quarters: (The door to this room is locked and trapped: CON sv DC 15 or 32 psychic dmg an HP MAX reduced until long rest. If 0 HP = dead).

Beds hang from the ceiling, there's a rug made of hair

Lanterns: Touch: WIS sv DC 20 create magic light = darkness

Trunks: Each of these has a three-spinner combination lock DC 20.

If you cast Knock (PH pg 254) on these locks, it triggers a lightning bolt spell DEX sv DC 15 8d6 lightning dmg, save for half.

Trunk 1: 

• 3 vials of torpor (600 gp) CON sc DC 15 or poisoned for 4d6 hours and incapacitated.
• 3 flasks of alchemist's fire (rg 20 d4 fire dmb, extinguish DEX DC 10)
• 1 antitoxin (adv on saves vs poison for one hour)
• 10 pieces of jewelry worth 100 gp each,

Trunk 2: 

• 782 gp, 219 pp, clotch doll riddled with needles
• "Bag of holding" actually bag of devouring (DMG pg 153). Reach hand in 50% chance you're pulled in, escape = STR DC 20.
• 2 potions of supreme healing (8d4+8)
• 1 scroll of lesser restoration (PH pg 255)
  

Books: 

• Manual of quickness of action (DMG pg 181, takes 48 hours to read... +2 to DEX score)
• Vumul's Journal: She is devoted to Ochremeshk. Last entry says "History will be re-written."
  

24. Master of the Blood Hunters: This room works as follows:

• This room is shrouded in a permanent darkness (PH pg 230) spell (need a level 3 light spell to counter it)
• There are pillars with invisible blades on them.
  
• Room is spinning: Start turn: DEX save DC 10. Fail = cut by invisible blades, 7 slashing dmg.
  
• The vampire in here has a gem of seeing (DMG pg 172 - gives truesight for 10 minutes) in his eyepatch.

Throne: Has a secret switch that lowers it to room 25.

Ungalish the Vampire: MM pg 297

• His resting place is in room 26, under the statue in the pit.

25. The Multi-Leveled Pit:  Invisible floor is 30 feet above the real floor. 15 feet below are 2 skeletons

Upper 2 levels are walls of force (beholder's anti-magic cone suppresses the walls)

Teleport Redirect: Using any sort of teleportation in here send you to the fire pit in room 15.

Iron Levers: Reverse gravity for d4 rounds.

Doors: STR check DC 25, blocked by calcified skulls on the far side.

Painted Eye: Beholder appears in here 1 round after the group enters.

Pit: At the bottom of the room's south end, there is a permanent [hase door activated by saying "Chaos and Evil for Ochremeshk." Drops you to room 26.

2 Devourers: Volo's pg 138

1 Beholder: MM pg 28

This is wayyy too tough for a 14th level group. The beholder alone is a "medium" threat. The devourers are CR 13 each! But... The devourers are separate, sealed off from the group by walls of force. I'm inclined to leave this as-is. Devourers are really cool monsters, they definitely don't get enough use.

26. The Profanity: This room is under the effect of a forbiddance spell (PH pg 243). To enter, make a DC 15 WIS save or take 10 psychic damage.

Demon statue rises 30 feet out of a pit, each hand holds a blob (retrievers!).

Unhallow: PH pg 249 

Smoke: If a character has taken all three sacraments, they can touch the smoke to create a doorway to room 28. 

Pit: 20 feet deep (in this pit is Galla's "+1 demonbane longsword." Let's make this a "demon slayer":

Demon Slayer
Weapon (any sword), rare

• You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
• When you hit a demon with this weapon, the demon takes an extra 3d6 damage.

Alcoves: West = Chaos, East = Evil. 

Fire Pit: 15 ft deep 10 fire dmg. Obsidian statue of Ochremeshk in the fire, touch with a demonskull amulet = gain inspiration, covered in a nimbis of green fire. If a chaotic character does this, Ochremeshk offers them a wish in exchange for a sacrifice.

Runes: In the Abyssal language, proclaiming praise for Ochremeshk.

(Secret Door: East wall, trapped with fire d4+11 dmg)

2 Bebiliths: We'll use this stat block here.

The bebiliths are CR 11. Two of them are a "hard" encounter for the 14th lvl heroes.

27. Lytaros Fel's Quarters: There is a table in here with a ton of stuff on it.

Table: Contains an alchemy lab worth 1,000 gp and all these things:

• Potion of Greater healing (heals 4d4+4)
• Potion of Heroism (grants 10 temp HP and effects of Bless)
• Wand of Magic Missiles (DMG pg 211)
• (Invisible Spellbook): You need special viewing glasses to read it. Contains the spells that a lich has (see MM pg 202)
• (Hidden Chest - hidden via an illusion): Locked DC 20, This chest is insane, see below.

Hidden Chest: Trapped - Glyph of warding (spot with DC 20 Investigation) 20 foot radius DEX sv DC 15 or 5d8 acid dmg, half on save

• Scrolls: (all have glyphs of warding that do 5d8 acid, like the glyph on the chest) Greater Restoration (PH pg 246), Dispel Magic (PH pg 234), Blade Barrier (PH pg 218), Flame Strike (PH pg 242), Raise Dead (PH pg 270)
• Soulstealer: +1 dagger, sentient, Chaotic Evil, can detect good at will, casts haste once per day
• There's a complicated hidden compartment in here, too (see below)
  

Hidden Compartment: Has a glyph of warding (Harm CON sv DC 15 fail 14d6 necrotic, half dmg on save HP Max reduced for 1 hour.

• Bag of Holding: (DMG pg 153) In this bag is an iron box (locked DC 20, trapped - glyph of warding 20 foot radius DEX sv DC 15 or 5d8 acid dmg, half on save
• Demonskull talisman
• A Book: Actually a vacuous grimoire! 2 saving throws. Fail the first -1 INT, Fail the second: -2 WIS
• Book of Vile Darkness! (DMG pg 222)
  

28. The Fane's Heart: Globe without gravity, red runes

So basically, this is where the heroes can go back in time to stop the bad guys from altering history. The evildoers want to make it so that the fane was never sealed off.

Ritual of Time Displacement:

• The heroes will be in the past for 10 rounds, then are returned to the present.
• They must defend the hero, Enchelious
• It is expected that they will focus on fighting Lytaros Fel while Enchelious battles the balor
• Rules: Nothing can be brought back from the past. | Things from the future cannot be left in the past (even single arrows)

Balor: MM pg 55

Enchelious:War Priest, Volo's pg 218

Lytaros Fel: Re-skinned Arcanoloth, MM pg 313

The adventure wants to set it up so that Enchelious fights the balor, and the group fights Lytaros. I am of the opinion that it is so rare for a group to actually have the opportunity to fight a balor, and I really don't want to pass this up. It's one of the ultimate fights in D&D, right? A balor! 

The balor is a CR 19 monster, which is a "Hard" encounter for the lvl 14 group. We're doing this!

(pg 41) The Nightmare Chamber: When a character steps into a pentagram, they appear here on a circular platform hovering above lava. There is a hole in the center of the pentagram, where a wall of force/"lift" can lower the group down to an invisible platform just above the lave.

When the heroes stand on the invisible platform, a quasit appears holding a sacrament that correlates to the pentagram they had stepped in.

• If you came from Room 5 - Body: The character is offered a red wafer with a demon's face on it. A non-evil character who does so must make a CON save DC 15 or is poisoned until their next long rest.
• If you came from Room 13 - Breath: The quasit is holding a bronze incense burner. Inhale: CON sv DC 15. Fail: Gives you advantage on INT-based skill checks, but once you take a rest, that effect goes away and you are poisoned until your next long rest.
• If you come from Room 22 - Black Fire: The quasit holds a burning silver brazier shaped like a skull. Put your hand in: Take 5 necrotic dmg, HP Max reduced until you are healed by good magic.

At least one character must partake in a sacrament. Once done, they are teleported back to whence they came.

Good characters linked to a deity may need to atone for these acts within one week, or have their alignment shifted to neutral or evil.

Possessing the Book of Vile Darkness

The Book of Vile Darkness took me by surprise. Really? It's in this place? This book is a major artifact! What happens when a character has it in their possession? And seeing how this campaign is all about the lifebane, a force that strengthens all chaos and evil throughout the multiverse, wouldn't that make this book even more potent?

Check out DMG pg 222. Once attuned to it, if you do a good deed, the book disappears. It is likely the heroes won't have this for long.

Just for fun, let's toll the random properties. Totally legit, no re-rolling, just to see what happens.

3 Minor Beneficial Properties

• (75) While attuned to the Book, you can use an action to cast one 2nd lvl spell of the DM's choice from it (I choose Invisibility). After you cast it, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-5, you can't cast it again until the next dawn.
• (62) While attuned to the Book, you can use an action to cast one 2nd lvl spell of the DM's choice from it I choose Darkness). After you cast it, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-5, you can't cast it again until the next dawn.
• (42) While attuned to the Book, you have resistance to one damage type of the DM's choice (necrotic makes sense, right?)

1 Major Beneficial Property

• (77) While attuned to the Book, you can use an action to cast one 6th lvl spell of the DM's choice from it (I choose Circle of Death). After you cast it, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-5, you can't cast it again until the next dawn.
  

3 Minor Detrimental Properties

• (67) While attuned to this artifact, nonmagical flames are extinguished within 30 feet of you.
• (89) While you are attuned to the artifact, animals within 30 feet are hostile toward you.
• (39) While attuned to the artifact, you are physically ill and have disadvantage on any ability check or saving throw that uses Strength or Constitution.
  

2 Major Detrimental Properties

• (80) When you become attuned to the artifact, one of your ability scores is reduced by 2 at random. A greater restoration spell restores the ability to normal.
• (55) When you become attuned to the artifact, you gain a form of long-term madness (DMG pg 260). These only last 1d10x10 hours. I'm a bit torn between having the character roll and just picking the madness. If I were to pick, I'd take: The character experiences uncontrollable tremors or tics, which impose disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that involve Strength or Dexterity.