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The Temple of Bel

The Temple of Bel

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The Temple of Bel

The Temple of Bel

Will +9; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 15

Skills & Feats: (NB. In urban environments also has

Climb +0, Hide +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +3 and Spot +3) Appraise +8, Bluff +11, Craft (herbalism)

+7, Decipher Script +14, Disable Device +6, Gather Information +11, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (religion) +17, Open Locks +6, Perform (ritual) +11, Profession (priest) +10, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +6; Dabbler (summoning), Diligentbonus_{, Iron}

Will bonus_{, Knowledgeable, Ritual Sacrifi ce, Skill Focus}

(Knowledge (arcana))bonus_{, Skill Focus (Knowledge}

(religion))bonus

Base Power Points: 8 (24 maximum); Magical Attack Roll: +5 (+3 level, +2 Cha); Sorcery Styles: –; Spells Known: –; Corruption: 1; Insanity: –

Olenka

Medium Zamorian commoner 1; HD: 1d4-1 (2 hit

points); Init: +2; Spd: 30 ft.; Dodge

DV: 12; Parry DV: 8; BAB/Grp: +0/-

2; Atk: Dagger +2 fi nesse melee; Full

Atk: Dagger +2 fi nesse melee; Dmg:

Dagger 1d4-1 /19-20 x2; Space/Reach: 5 ft. (1)/5 ft. (1); SQ: Zamorian Traits, Illiteracy; SV: Fort -1, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 6, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 13

Skills & Feats: (NB. In urban

environments also has +1 circumstance bonus to Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot) Balance +5, Disable

Device +6, Escape Artist +5, Open Locks +6, Perform (ritual)+2, Profession (soothsayer) +4, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +2; Agile

Olenka is a 12-year old girl, the daughter of the head of the soothsayer’s guild. She has a position with Lady Nehira as a maid-in-waiting. Lady Nehira has confi rmed she is still a virgin and is intending to use her in a future ritual. She has long black hair and white skin. She wants to lose her virginity and has a lot of crushes that last approximately two weeks before she moves on to someone else. She has also decided she will have a child by the age of 17. Her

moods alternate between angry and passionate and can be very hot-blooded and even a bit scary. She is also a burgeoning poet and a gossip. Her function at Nehira’s rituals is to bear whatever occult book the priestess’ is using. For the ritual today, she is using the holy text of Derketo, holding it up for Lady Nehira to chant from. The Temple itself is at the centre of a maze of gardens and smaller buildings. The smaller buildings on the grounds include dormitories for the priests and the temple support staff. The garden maze allows thieves places to hide as well as time to escape pursuers. A modest Track check (DC 12) can determine the correct path through the maze, as it is the path taken by the most people. The talisman shows this maze and the correct route through it. The talisman also has a hidden key inside it to unlock the gates at various places in the maze (Search DC 20 to fi nd the key). The locks on the

The Temple of Bel

The Temple of Bel

The Temple of BelThe Temple of Bel

The Temple of Bel

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gates are good locks (Open Lock DC 30) if the Player Characters opt to pick them.

The Temple of Bel is constructed of marble and gold. It was once the temple of a long-forgotten Zhemri god, but was usurped by the priests and worshippers of Bel. It has a vaulted roof and a dome towards the rear. Once there was a bell tower but it fell into disuse decades ago and was eventually torn down to help construct the other buildings in the garden maze. The layout of the Temple of Bel is relatively simple. A pair of ornate double doors opens into a vestibule.

1. Vestibule: This vestibule is decorated with

images of Bel, including Bel as an eagle clutching the stolen powers of the gods, an eagle clutching the various crows of the Hyborian Age kingdoms, a thin man in a black mask skulking in dark shadows, a six armed elephant-headed man sitting among his glittering hoard and the grinning face of avarice. In this vestibule is Nabud, Lady Nehira’s guard (see page 14), or use one of Harasym’s Enforcers or one of the King’s Own if Nabud was previously slain.

2. Pulpit: This area, separated from the altar

area (3) by three steps, hosts 10 ornate pillars holding an arched ceiling aloft. Often the room is fi lled with tables for the division of treasures and stolen goods. Meetings are often arranged here. Also, some of the tiles are false, leading into secret compartments or chambers, allowing goods and/or people to be hidden from the authorities during searches.

3. Altar: The altar is a simple stone altar, which

serves as a soul-prison, holding the Demon, Kara Prama, prisoner. A massive statue of Bel, in the form of a six-armed elephant-headed man, stands against the back wall. This is where Lady Nehira and her 20 or so cultists are located when the Player Characters arrive. Two braziers on either side of the statue provide the strongest light in the temple area, although four small oil lamps hang from each of the pillars in the pulpit.

4. Sanctum: This room is where the high priest

of Bel prepares for ceremonies and rituals. It includes a cot where the priest can sleep, although he usually stays at his own home

on the grounds, rather than at the temple. Vestments and books litter the room, along with some basic furniture.

5. Antechamber: This room is a private room

for meetings or other entertainment. A secret passage leads out onto the grounds of the temple. Extra tables are often stored in this room, dismantled and leaning against the walls.

When the Player Characters arrive: Lady Nehira is

straddling a handsome young man on the altar. If any Player Characters were captured and taken to Nehira during the course of this adventure, this young man could be one of them, either hypnotised, dominated or drugged, or they could be tied up nearby, obviously the next in line for Lady Nehira’s wicked scheme. Those in attendance are chanting, helping with the ritual (see Power Rituals in Conan the Roleplaying Game). All the participants are nude, holding ceremonial daggers, chanting and writhing obscenely as they watch the pair have intercourse on the altar. The only exception is the young girl, Olenka, who is holding up the holy text of Derketo for Lady Nehira’s use as she moves in sensual, cat-like motions. She thrashes back and forth, stifl ing her screams of ecstasy while chanting. Her partner’s moans likewise rise and it is obvious he is about to reach the climax of this encounter. Just as he roars out his orgasm, Lady Nehira plunges a sacrifi cial dagger into the man’s heart. Game statistics for Lady Nehira can be found on page 28.

The ritual is supposed to restore youth and beauty to Lady Nehira, but instead the opposite happens and she quickly ages to a withered crone. She cries out in distress and turns instantly towards the characters’ hiding place and automatically spotting them (or adding Kara Prama’s Spot ranks to her own if the Games Master prefers) screams out in a voice clearly not her own, ‘Heretics! You and your foul presence have corrupted these sacred rites. Infi dels and unbelievers! Cower before my thralls and DIE!’ Lady Nehira will dismount from the dead man to begin assaulting the characters with her spells. Half of the cultists will move to protect her, while the other half step forward to bring down the characters. Nehira will attempt to

entrance or dominate the Player Characters so she can

sacrifi ce them. She may use hypnotic suggestion against more powerful characters to get them to submit.