Domain Jam #7
The Most Magnificent Gem In All Creation
by AuroralJulian
Introduction
The Ashram of Niranjan is composed of a towering temple compound on a small coral atoll. In appearance, it is a meditative retreat in a tropical paradise, but the denizens of this place are tortured and ultimately destroyed by the ashram's leader, Niranjan, and his ceaseless search for a divine gemstone hidden somewhere in this temple. Will the players be ensnared in Niranjan's mad search for power and wealth, or delve into the secrets of this place and find a way to freedom?
Background
This is an adventure for 3-4 players of levels 5-7, with a focus on investigation for a means of escape. Playing off themes of greedy materialism, this module tempts players with incalculable wealth that then must be abandoned in the final act, or else lead to inescapable doom. Dungeon Masters are advised to note down how many gemstones the players loot, as this becomes a key plot point at the end of the module.
Pronunciation
| Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Ambalavanan | UHM-bah-lah-VAH-nuhn |
| Gopuram | GOH-poo-rahm |
| Hemant | HAY-month |
| Jambavati | JUM-bah-vah-thee |
| Kalavan | KAH-la-vun |
| Kaustubha | KOWS-too-bah |
| Likhita | LEE-kee-tah |
| Panchajanya | PUN-cha-JUHN-ya |
| Rajiv | RAH-jeev |
| Shaligrama | SHA-lee-grah-mah |
| Sesha | SAY-sha |
Starting the Adventure
The adventure begins with the characters washing into the warm waters of the atoll's central lagoon, following passage through The Mists. Read the following description to set the scene:
The turquoise waters of the lagoon lap softly across the white, sandy shores of the ring of islands in the distance. The churning, black sea beyond the safety of the atoll is visible where the islands are the thinnest. To the south, abutting a large boat dock, rises a massive temple gate, and several temple towers beyond.
Wading across the lagoon is not difficult: the water is warm and shallow, only three feet deep, but there is nothing to offer cover. Within the hour, the players will attract the attention of a group of devotees scavenging the lagoon's sandy bottom for pearls or other treasure. They are haggard, but will offer meager food and brackish water if asked. They also share the following information:
- They are initiates at the Ashram of Niranjan, here to learn holy Ramsana wisdom from the sadhu Niranjan.
- Everyone begins as an Initiate, then the sadhu chooses who advances to become an Ascendant. Ascendants can then attain enlightment to become a Renunciate, meditating in perpetual bliss.
- They are collecting pearls as a meditative exercise to learn selflessness. They are being overseen by Ascendant Jambavati.
- The ashram welcomes all who come to learn and meditate, though they admit they are tired of the manual drudgery.
After the initiates have talked to the players for a time, read the following:
The chatter is interupted by the arrival of slight woman with a grim frown of displeasure. Her simple robes look similar to the other devotees, but around her neck rests a small sapphire necklace, and her exposed skin shows countless small glyphs carefully painted in irridescent, black ink.
"Falling into idle chatter shows a lack of discipline," she snaps, "How do you expect to find enlightenment if you lack the focus for a single afternoon of meditation"
As the crowd mutters apologies, the woman's frown softens. She turns to you and mutters, "If you've come to join the ashram, follow me to the temple. I'll introduce you to Sadhu Niranjan."
The woman introduces herself as Jambavati, the most recent initiate to be elevated to the status of Ascendant. She walks silently, careful not to fall into the water and wash off the glyphs Sadhu Niranjan painted on her.
Ascendant Jambavati
Ascendant Jambavati (neutral, werebear) joined the ashram a few months ago to learn meditation techniques to suppress her lycanthropy. She is a woman of few words and a short temper, but she is not inherently violent.
Personality Trait "I seek to overcome my flaws with a dedication to meditation"
Ideal. "Through hard work, I can help myself and others to better themselves"
Bond. "My devotion to Niranjan brings me closer to the divine."
Flaw. "I would never question my teacher or his aims."
Trouble at the Beach
As the players approach the shore, read the following:
The peace of wading across the lagoon is broken by the sounds of gasping and thrashing coming from the waves. A raggedly-dressed man is being pulled beneath the surf by rotting limbs.
The man, Kalavan is mid-fight with a Zombie Arm swarm hidden beneath the waves. Under the water's surface, the Zombie Limbs gain half-cover (AC +2) and fighting them inflicts the effects of Underwater Combat.
Kalavan is all but unconscious, and can do nothing more than crawl. He ends the fight with 1 HP.
If the fight lasts more than 2 rounds, Jambavati shifts into her hybrid form and fights alongside the characters until the zombie limbs are defeated. If she does so, she resents the characters for making her lose control of her temper.
After the fight, Kalavan rambles about how "the stones kept pulling him down." Jambavati quickly demands the return of "the stones", and Kalavan sheepishly hands an opal, tiger's eye, and a coral-stone, all smaller than marbles, from his robe's pockets to Jambavati.
Characters who succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check also see Kalavan return a small ring (Ring of X-ray Vision) to inside his pocket.
Kalavan
Kalavan (chaotic neutral, Swashbuckler) came to the ashram to look for his brother Thirudan, who had gone missing. He has not found him yet, and is now just trying to escape, maybe with a few gemstones for all the trouble he has gone through.
Personality Trait “Everybody wants something. I’m certain we can help one another.”
Ideal. "I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need."
Bond. "I'll do anything to find out what happened to my brother, Thirudan"
Flaw. “I’m overconfident, sometimes to the point of putting myself or others in danger.”
Arrival at the Temple Grounds
On approach of the temple, read the following:
As you near the ornate temple gate, the gradeur of the temple's height and the richness of its decorations becomes apparent. You crane your neck up to see the top of the gopuram tower-gate, and see that the central temple tower rises up even higher still. Stone carvings of jungle creatures with inlayed gemstones cover the exterior, and though you see many cavities where gems are missing, the structure still sparkles in the tropical sun.
Jambavati drags Kalavan deeper into the temple complex, past the gate, and into the cool darkness of the central temple building (T1).
In the back of the massive room, a guant, old man is scrutinizing a mosaic depicting a holy man dancing with a massive Naga. He is mumbles to himself, tracing the inlaid gemstones with long, filthy fingernails.
Jambavati clears her throat. Read the following.
The man turns in annoyance, and you are struck by the contrast of his fine saffron-colored silk robe and gemstone necklaces and the filthiness of his appearance. The words "Book" and "Diamond" are sloppily scrawled in black ink on his face, though they are barely legible under the grime. "You are smudged, Jambavanti," His voice is deep and clear, despite his apparent age. He re-paints one of the glyphs on Jambavanti's face with an ink brush.
"Thank you... And I have this for you, sadhu." Jambavanti offers the stolen gems.
"Have you come to me with new treasure?" a hint of a smile appears on his lips.
"No, sadhu Niranjan, I am returning that which is yours."
Niranjan's expression flickers from delight, to embarrassment, to fury. He chastises Jambavati for allowing a theft to occur, and demands that the thief be punished.
Turning to the characters, he demands the return of any other stolen goods. Characters must succeed a DC 17 Charisma (Deception) check to convince Niranjan they have nothing, or else be forced to hand over anything valuable and smaller than a fist in their possession. If a player either fail the check or have nothing, Niranjan casts Detect Thoughts (Wisdom Save DC 16) to reveal what they are hiding.
Once this is resolved, Niranjan dismisses the group. Jambavanti shows the players to the initiates' dormitory (T3), and tells them to follow any directions the Ascendents or sadhu Niranjan gives them. She then leaves to return to the lagoon.
Characters with a Passive Perception of 15 or higher notice her voice is slurred. A successful DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that she is suffering from lead poisoning.
Disciplined Daily Routine
Even before dawn, the heat is oppressive. You are woken up and urged to join the growing crowd. After a hurried breakfast of dried jackfruit, the initiate devotees line up and are assigned the day's task.
Every day, the devotees wake at dawn, have a simple breakfast of dried jackfruit, chutney, and rice and then work a twelve hour shift to internalize a facet of Ramsana through one of the below listed task.
Each is done under the oversight of one of the Ascendants. After working, devotees eat supper of more dried jackfruit, then join together for the Recitation of the 107 Points of Marma. To sneak away, the Dexterity (Stealth) DC is 15 unless otherwise mentioned. Getting caught sneaking away or shirking results in Disciplinary Punishments.
Kalavan is punished by caning the first night, and remains in the dormitory, injured and unable to speak, for three days.
Each Ascendant wears a sapphire necklace, through which everyone knows Niranjan could scry (and he would if he could remember the necklaces).
The following numbered list of daily tasks can be given in any order on consecutive days
1. For Selflessness: Searching for Pearls in the Muck
- Location: Lagoon and Fringing Reef
- Overseer: Jambavati
- Stealth Required to Slip Away: DC 17
Jambavati will bring her group to scout around the Lagoon and Fringing Reef for the very rare pearl oysters.
Finding a pearl requires a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation or Nature) check. The lagoon is home to dangerous aquatic animals (2d4 hunter sharks) and the undead remains of those who failed to escape (Zombie Limb Swarm).
2. For Patience: Cleaning the Renunciates' Room
- Location: Central temple building (T1)
- Overseer: Rajiv(lawful evil, stats of Elemental Cultist)
- Stealth Required to Slip Away: DC 17
Rajiv is an aloof mage who came to learn divine magic. His hands have developped a noticeable tremor.
Rajiv leads his group into the upper floors of the central temple building with cleaning supplies. The large upper room is dark and windowless with over one hundred dessicated corpses positioned as if meditating in a very particular arrangement. A character who succeeds a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) or Intelligence (Investigation) check realizes that the Renunciates are arranged so that they each correspond to a marma point on the body (see Map of Renunciate Room (each circle is one Renunciate)).
Each Renunciate is actually a Boneless with a Shadow inside of it. Lodged inside the dessicated flesh can be found 1d10 Rare Gemstones underneath the corresponding glyph, but removal of a gemstone will cause the paired monsters to attack. The lead paint on the Renunciates' skin blocks divination spells like Detect Magic or X-ray vision abilities to supernaturally perceive the treasure inside.
3. For Humility: Reinforcing the Wall's Foundations
- Location: Temple walls (T6)
- Overseer: Hemant (chaotic evil, stats of Berserker Commander, but Poisoned)
- Stealth Required to Slip Away: DC 10
Hemant is lazy and a bully, clearly chosen by Niranjan for his willingness to commit violence. Hemant now suffers the effects of severe lead poisoning. His senses are dulled, and he is aggressive, becoming violent with little provocation.
Hemant leads his group to the surrounding wall to reinforce it with stones from the area. Escaping his notice is an easy opportunity to explore and investigate the island.
4. For Focus: Memorizing the Mantras
- Location: Meeting Hall (T2)
- Overseer: Likhita (lawful evil tiefling, stats of Fiend Cultist)
- Stealth Required to Slip Away: DC 17
Likhita came to the ashram decades ago, for reasons even she cannot remember. She wants to impress Niranjan, and does not accept failure in herself or others well. Her body is weakening, though her mind remains sharp.
Likhita sits in the Meeting Hall and teaches the mantra that she herself learned when she was an initiate. It is very long, taking an hour to recite in total. To successfully memorize the full mantra requires a DC 18 Charisma (Performance) check.
Take note of which characters succeeded in memorizing the mantra. This will have importance later.
Characters with knowledge of Draconic or succeed a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check recognize the mantra segments as a point on the body, followed by a type of gemstone (ex: "Left elbow, opal. Left wrist, carnelian."), and that only 106 of the 107 traditional marma points are mentioned. Next, with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, the missing point is learned: the "mouth" point.
Recitation of the 107 Points of Marma
At the end of every day, at dusk, the Ascendants gather all the initiates to the meeting hall (T2) for sadhu Niranjan to lead a group recitation of his mantra.
Niranjan climbs to the raised dais, then faces the assembled devotees.
Read the following:
Niranjan shouts "Start", stretches down to touch his filthy hands to his feet, and begins moving his hands methodically over the series of marma points on his body. The devotees try to follow his movements, chanting the mantra simultaneously.
Right hand to left forearm, across to the shoulder, then up to the neck. Even the more senior initiates struggle to keep up with both movements and the multisyllabic intonations. The Ascendants pace through the rows with canes to punish failure with a sharp smack.
Rather than name all 107 marma points, see below the number of points on each part of the body:
- 11 marma points on the limbs
- 26 marma points on the torso and pelvis
- 37 marma points on the head and neck region
- 33 marma points located elsewhere in the body
If anyone makes a mistake, Niranjan angrily yells "Start again!" and the recitation restarts from the beginning.
The players must succeed on a group DC 15 Charisma (Performance) skill check to complete the mantra without mistakes. Players who succeeded in memorizing the mantra before get Advantage. A group failure results in a hit with a cane (1d4 bludgeoning damage) and another attempt.
If the players fail four times in a row, Niranjan keeps the initiates practicing until dawn. The players cannot gain the benefits of a Long Rest that night, and gain one level of Exhaustion.
Disciplinary Punishments
If characters disobey Niranjan's or his Ascendants' orders, they will be given punishments dependent on the number of previous offenses. Refer to the table below for examples of increasing punishments:
| Offense # | Punishment |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 hits with a cane (10d4 bludgeoning damage) |
| 2 | 20 hits with a cane (20d4 bludgeoning damage) |
| 3 | Forced to hold weights for hours (3 DC 18 Con Checks for Exhaustion) |
| 4 | Denied food and water for 48 hours (3 levels of Exhaustion at end, no save) |
| 5 | Sent to Point Pey for 48 hours |
| 6 | Exile from the Ashram, to be killed on sight |
Where Suffering Begins and Ends
After Kalavan has recovered for three days, he approaches the players and begs them to help him escape again. But first, he wants to get revenge on Hemant, who beat him nearly to death.
During the next evening Recitation, Kalavan attempts to attack Hemant:
Before Niranjan gets into position, Kalavan sneaks behind Hemant and tries to wrest the cane away from his grip. Hemant is slow to respond, but his grip tightens and his face makes a mad rictus as something inside him snaps.
In frenzied, spastic movements Hemant swings the cane at anyone close by. The crowd quickly parts around him. Hemant shouts a string of slurred curses, then breaks the tip of his cane on a pillar. Black-hued spittle drips down his face as he bares his sharp, broken cane at Kalavan.
"Sadhu, please, stop this madness," Jambavati says.
"Do not stand in the way of your brother's ascension," Niranjan hisses, "He stands at the threshold of becoming a Renunciate."
Battle takes place in the meeting house pavilion (right side of Temple map). Hemant and Kalavan begin combat near the raised dais.
Purging the Poison. Hemant vomits out an animate, pitch black liquid (using the stats of an Ochre Jelly at Initiative Count 0 each round.
Other Combatants. Niranjan loudly forbids the other Ascendants from helping in the combat. However, if the players are losing, Jambavati will shift into her hybrid form and help.
Once Hemant is reduced to 0 HP or restrained, Niranjan takes Hemant's head in his hands and presses their foreheads together. Read the following:
There is total silence on the pavilion as Niranjan inhales and exhales meditatively, lengthening his breath with each exhale. Hemant's grimace melts into relaxation and his body goes limp, and then his lips bend into a disturbing smile. They both stand.
Hemant opens his eyes. They are lifeless grey, the color of lead.
"Let us all welcome and celebrate Renunciate Hemant."
Hemant bows, then with jerky, unnatural movements walks into the central temple.
Niranjan's turns next to Kalavan. "Kalavan, you have shown great virtue in helping Ascendant Hemant." A cruel smile appears on his lips as he continues, "For this reason, I am elevating you to the rank of Ascendant! Come, return with me to the inner sanctum so that I may bestow upon you the gifts befitting your new role."
Niranjan grips Kalavan's shoulder and begins steering him into the temple as well. Kalavan, eyes full of terror, silently mouths "Help me" to the players.
Renunciate Hemant
The players can use stealth to peer into Niranjan's study in the temple (C6). Getting caught will count as two "offenses" when it comes to determining the Disciplinary Punishments.
They witness the following:
Kalavan stands, stripped to the waist, eyes clenched in fear, as Niranjan paints glyphs on his skin in irridescent, black ink.
Next to the two stands Hemant, a lifeless smile affixed on his face. He is mechanically slicing into his own flesh with a knife, taking gemstones from a nearby container, and inserting them into the dripping, black wounds.
When the characters witness this, they must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened.
Afterwards, players will be forced back into the strict schedule described in Disciplined Daily Routine, so they should try to work quickly before they lose their opportunity to investigate a way to escape.
A Fight to Break Free
Once the players command the boat to unfold, read the following:
The boat folds neatly out of the box, despite its age. It is humble, but beautiful, with lotuses and Naga painted in bright colors along its length. It is light, easily sliding into the lagoon's water to push off.
"You will not escape with my treasure! You will not take the Kaustubha from me!" Niranjan screams in rage, running to the edge of the surf, and then stumbling back to avoid getting wet.
Niranjan is convinced now that the players have found and taken the gemstone he has been searching for. He attacks the players, and commands Ascendants Jambavanti, Rajiv and Likhita to attack. They will obey, unless the players have befriended them.
- Niranjan will be visibly afraid of getting wet.
- If Niranjan gets wet enough to lose his skin markings (3 rounds of being splashed with 1 gallon of water), he will forsake his humanoid disguise and transform into his Dragon form, slither into the lagoon and attack from below.
- At least one person needs to use their Action rowing to move the boat.
If the players have taken any gemstones, read the following:
The gemstones that were taken from the ashram, part of Niranjan's hoard, spill out of any containers they were held in, even those magical in nature, and pool in the aft of the boat, closest to the shore, tugging the . Water quickly fills the boat.
For every gemstone, the Strength (Athletics) DC increases from a base DC 5 by 3. So one stolen gemstone increases the DC to 8; 10 stolen gemstones increases the DC by 30. Failure causes the boat to rapidly fill with water due to this supernatural pull.
Each gemstone needs to fished out of the boats hull and thrown, which counts as an Action. Trying to row the boat away can be re-attempted after each removal, with a re-calculated DC.
Conclusion
As the small boat reaches the atoll's fringing reef, a sense of relief and liberation can be felt in the air. Your pockets are nearly empty, but you are free. And is freedom not the most magnificent thing one can possess?
The players return to the Mists of Ravenloft, now with a Folding Boat and whatever items they were able to escape with.
If the players did not invite Kalavan to escape with them, he may pursue the players elsewhere in the Mist, now as an undead Renunciate.
Temple Grounds Locations
T1. Central Temple Building
The interior of this once-hallowed temple is still ornately decorated, but there is a pervading sense of deterioration and desecration.
T2. Meeting Hall
Large covered pavilion with a raised dais at the center. More detailed map later in module.
T3. Dormitories
Simple and bare, where all devotees sleep and eat in cramped, unsanitary conditions.
T4. Courtyard
Sparse grass where temple initiates can briefly relax, as long as they avoid the biting lizards.
T5. Temple Gate-Towers
Once-ornate stonework gates. The one abutting the shore is caked in sea salt.
T6. Temple Wall
The temple walls are in poor condition, with large cracks in the stonework where Venomous Snakes hide.
Central Temple Locations
C1. Raised Dais
A wooden dais with wood carvings along its edges. It is 5 ft high.
C2. Meeting Pavilion
The floor is polished stone, the pillars are laquered wood supporting a steepled roof 20 feet above.
C3. Temple Sanctum
The main sanctum of the temple is richly decorated with gem-inlaid mosaics depicting priests and Guardian Naga learning, praying, and celebrating. There are seventy-five mosaic panels, and each contains 6d6 very rare gemstones that can be easily pried out (DC 10 Strength (Athletics)).
Niranjan spends most of his time here scrutinizing each gemstone, and uses any available pearls to cast Identify on whichever he suspects might be the Kaustubha.
One side of the the main pillar is noticeably bare. This is an illusion hiding the door to the the secret storeroom (C4).
C5. Side Shrines
Once meant to be place of quiet meditation, there remain 20 mosaic panels illustrating the virtues held sacred to Ramsana, and each contains 1d6 very rare gemstones that can be easily pried out (DC 10 Strength (Athletics)).
C6. Niranjan's Study
To maintain the illusion of being a holy sadhu, Niranjan maintains a small library of scrolls on Ramsana philosophy and floor pads for discussion. The room reeks of filth and has dried, black blood on most surfaces due to the actual use of this room: creating the human vessels for Niranjan's hoard.
Touching the dried blood causes it to become a sentient black ooze (use the stats of Ochre Jellies).
C7. Niranjan's Room
Niranjan's room is cluttered with junk he hoards, like water-damaged books and broken weapons.
Hidden among his things is the coconut-shell bowl Ambalavanan gave him when he first entered the ashram. It functions like a miniature Alchemy Jug, producing 1/8 the quantity of requested liquid compared to a full-sized Alchemy Jug
Niranjan keeps a small container of 1d10 extremely rare gemstones where he can consistently see them.
Other Locations
Point Pey
Behind the temple complex is a small promonotory covered with patches of grass and the ruined husks of log cabins. This area is inhabited by skulks, the soulless shells of ashram initiates who neither advanced nor were able to escape. They now mindlessly dry raw jackfruit in the sun. They will attack on sight.
Shaligrama Island
This small, barren section of the atoll is mostly unvegetated coral rock. The only odd thing is the collections of ammonite fossils. Characters who succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check are able to find an ammonite with a gold central hub, which functions as a Stone of Good Luck .
Panchajanya Island
This small island on the west of the atoll is the most forested part, with lush mangroves growing across its marshy surface. The brackish waters around the trees hide swarms of carnivorous fish (use Swarm of Piranha stats) and Giant Crocodile
Characters that succeed a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Arcana) check find a Primeval Conch
Fringing Reef
The coral reef that surrounds the island is home to colorful but dangerous underwater creatures, like an Archelon and a Plesiosaurus, who travel together as friends.
Niranjan (a.k.a Sarthak)
Niranjan was not always the master of this ashram, nor was his name always Niranjan. Centuries ago, the bronze dragon Sarthak arrived at the temple disguised as a humble monk under a fake name to learn the wisdom of the ashram's leader, Ambalavanan. This human guru shared his wisdom on the path to enlightenment, promising those who achieved detachment from the material world would be granted a vision of a treasure hidden inside the temple: the divinely beautiful gemstone known as Kaustubha, said to grant godlike powers to the one who beheld it.
Ambalavanan could not have known that his parables on the beauty of enlightenment would drive the bronze dragon into greed-fueled madness. For decades, Sarthak, known now as the religious devotee Niranjan, followed the guru's instructions, but never reached the inner peace needed to behold the gemstone. One night, Niranjan killed the other devotees and tortured Ambalavanan until he revealed the gem's location. Hour after hour, the old human repeated through the pain that Kaustubha was not a treasure that could be possessed. With his dying breath, Ambalavanan used the last of his divine powers to grant the dragon a blessing of liberation in the form of a curse: "May you forget all that you materially possess."
Just then, The Mists blanketed the island. When it lifted, Niranjan found himself the leader of an island temple filled with treasures donated from those seeking spiritual guidance. However, where once his draconic memory knew the name and color of every gemstone in his hoard, now his memory of what he owned was blank. Panicked, Niranjan grabbed a brush, dipped it in lead kohl paint and began recording what items he remembered on his skin.
Now, centuries later, Niranjan continues to search the ancient temple for the Kaustabha, aided by his own devotees to whom he has falsely promised enlightenment. In addition to his hunt, he ceaselessly tries to counteract the forgetting of his treasure inventory. He forces his devotees to memorize and chant mantras, which are actually mnemonic devices to remember the innumerable gemstones secretly hidden within the dessicated corpses of the followers who have died.
Niranjan's Powers and Dominion
Though he has appeared human for countless generations, Sarthak is still a young bronze dragon. He appears as a wizened, old monk in saffron robes, his wrinkled skin covered in painted draconic glyphs. He wears the Five-Ratna Necklace, a necklace of prayer beads that grant him access to a few spells.
Draconic Glyphs. Niranjan paints magical glyphs onto his Ascendants, his most devoted followers, in lead paint, and forbids them to wash it off. Unreadable to anyone but him (just as if created by an Illusory Script spell, remaining until dispelled), these symbols encode the inventory of treasures he receives.
Human Vessels. When one of Niranjan's Ascendants succumbs to poisoning caused by the lead painted onto their skin, Niranjan consumes that follower's soul and places a Shadow into their flesh. Under Niranjan's control, the Shadow inserts each gem or other treasure into the flesh beneath the glyph labelled for that item, all with a beatific smile. If the flow of treasures ever wanes, he sends out a disguised Shadow to lure visitors back with promises of holy wisdom.
Corrupted Ocean Affinity. Niranjan is fearful of losing the glyphs written on his skin, but still retains the water-breathing and control over water his draconic lineage provides. The water of the lagoon at the center of his island atoll responds to his will, and anything of value will wash up against the shore.
Draconic Hoard Connection. Even if Niranjan does not remember what items are in his hoard, each item of his hoard supernaturally seeks to return if removed. The treasures of the hoard will spill out of containers, even those magical in nature, and roll in the direction of the Ashram.
Closing the Border. Niranjan's ability to close the Borders of his Domain are limited to the waters of the lagoon, which obey his will and pull towards the shore to prevent escape. The choppy waters between the atoll and Kalakeri mainland are treacherous, but not supernaturally controlled.
Niranjan's Torment
The Dark Powers keep Niranjan in the Ashram in the following ways:
Cursed Memory Niranjan forgets the name, physical description, and location of everything he owns a few moments after it comes into his possession. This both amplifies his greed and perpetuates his fears of being stolen from.
Written On His Skin. Niranjan maintains the glyphs painted on his skin, as they list the few treasures he remembered before Ambalavanan's curse fully erased his memory. He remains in his human guise as long as the glyphs remain painted on his skin, and in protecting this body paint from water, he has developed a fear of water.
Ceaselessly Searching. Niranjan covets the gemstone described by Ambalavanan above all else. He uses any pearls he can acquire to cast Identify on anything that resembles a beautiful gem. Niranjan is convinced that the divinely beautiful gemstone Kaustubha is hidden somewhere on the temple grounds, and is resistant to any arguments that it is in fact an allegory meant to convey the beauty of enlightenment.
Roleplaying Niranjan
He uses his supposed holiness to maintain the cruel, abusive discipline of the Ashram. Niranjan assumes a meditative expression to hide his constant fear, suspicion, and greed. He is dismissive and distrustful of everyone, and will destroy anyone if it means furthering his goals of acquiring more wealth.
Personality Trait. "I was denied the world's greatest treasure before, and I will not be denied again."
Ideal. "Power comes from wealth, and greatness comes from power."
Bond. "I tolerate those useful to me in furthering my goals."
Flaw. "I will not rest until I possess everything of value"
Niranjan (Humanoid Form)
Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil
Use the statblock of Noble Prodigy with the addition of the following traits:
Traits
Corrupted Amphibiousness. Niranjan has a swim speed of 30 ft and can breath air and water. Due to his fear of losing what he has written on his skin, he takes 1d4 Psychic damage each turn he is in contact with water.
Draconic Immunity. Niranjan has immunity to Lightning damage
Sarthak (Dragon Form)
Large Dragon, Lawful Evil
Use the statblock of Young Bronze Dragon with the addition of the following traits:
Traits
Five-Ratna Necklace. Niranjan retains his once-per-day spells: Befuddlement, Detect Thoughts, Fly, Scrying, Shatter (level 7 version)
Items
Primeval Conch
Wondrous Item, Rare
If done correctly, blowing through the conch produces the primal sound of creation.
While holding this item, you can use an Action to blow through it. Roll 1d20. On a 20, the user casts the spell Divine Word (DC 18). Once used in this manner, the conch cannot be used until the next dawn.
Five-Ratna Necklace
Wondrous Item, Artifact
Five Dark Gems. This necklace has 5 magic beads. If a magic bead is removed from the necklace, that bead loses its magic. To use one, you must be wearing the necklace. Each bead contains a spell that you can cast from it as a Bonus Action (using your spell save DC if a save is necessary). Once a magic bead’s spell is cast, that bead can’t be used again until the next dawn.
Gemstone Spell Emerald Detect Thoughts Onyx Fly Peridot Befuddlement Ruby Scrying Zircon Shatter
Additional Maps
Map of Renunciates' Room (each circle is one Renunciate)
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