Siff Duthar's abandoned research facility

Located down the left passage of the subterranean tunnels under the Evening Nip in Zadash, this long-abandoned research facility had once belonged to a necromancer by the name of Siff Duthar.

River Entrance
The entrance to these ancients ruins was uncovered within the northeastern branch of the subterranean river under Zadash. Members of the Gentleman's Troupe located the entrance on the north side of the riverbank, which they later collapsed into a rock slide. The Mighty Nein excavated this rock slide.

Made of smooth stone as compared to the natural mineral of the tunnel wall, when cleared this 10-foot passage opened into the center of a spiral staircase.

Spiral Staircase
Illuminated by the purple light of an enchanted crystal-like stone placed within a wrought iron cage in a corner, this roughly eight to ten feet wide staircase continued 40-feet downward and 60-feet upwards.

Downstairs
At the bottom of the stone staircase, there was a small, dark, antechamber, 15 feet long and five feet wide, that led into a thin hallway continuing further in.

Hallway
This four to five-foot wide hallway continued forwards for around 25 feet. On each side of the walls, there were nine to ten holes carved out at different angles. The floor in this area was trapped with three pressure plates. When ones of these plates was stepped on, a metal bolt would fire out one of the holes in the walls. These pressure plates were rigged in such a way to slowly reset after they were triggered and were made in such a way that only a sufficiently heavy object would trigger them, as demonstrated by Frumpkin being able to traverse these plates without issue. At the end of this hallway was a large octagonal chamber.

Octagonal Chamber
This 30-foot radius chamber was octagonal in its design and had a domed ceiling. On each of the domes segments was a painted abstract symbol representing one of the eight schools of magic.There were no visible exits from this chamber (other than the hallway used to enter).

Ominously held aloft in the center of the dome was a blue, ten-foot wide stone pillar, extending about ten feet from the ceiling. It was square with a slight curvature or dome at its base.

On the ground in the center of this room was a triangular one foot high raised platform that was two and a half feet long on each of its sides. On the platform, there was a series of half-inch thick symbols carved into it and a half-inch wide, foot and a half deep round hole in their center.

When the siphon rod was inserted into the hole and the correct school of magic spells were cast into the chamber, the arcane energy from those spells were siphoned into the top of the metallic rod, causing a false wall on the opposite end of the hallway to rotate open, beyond which was a research chamber.

When a spell from an incorrect school of magic was cast and drawn into the rod, the room to shake and cause the large square pillar to open releasing a creature down into the center of the room, before reclosing.



Research Chamber
The chamber was divided into three sections. The center main chamber had sort of inert arcane teleportation circle in the center. In the center there were load-bearing pillars to the right and left, and cold braziers behind the pillars against the walls: little domed pieces of stone that once contained flame for light. There were two tables with chairs, and a bookcase. Underneath one of the tables, there was one book with two candelabra on top. The bookshelf was mostly empty with broken pieces, tattered bits of paper, and no books on the shelf.

Above the bookshelf, there was a greatsword placed ornamentally on the wall. The hilt of it was gold and curled up to the side. It had tiny runes inscribed along its edge.

To the right and left it looks there's two smaller chambers immediately, and then it goes further in. The two side chambers are pill-shaped. They're rounded at each side, and they're enclosed, but open into the center chamber. At each of these rounded edges, there are cage-like contraptions: iron domes that are very tight-knit, dark iron rusted metal. In the iron cages, there are clay urns, sitting in the center with burnt and tattered clothing at the sides of it.

Behind the bookcase
Behind the bookcase is a small 5 foot by 5 foot chamber, where a number of pots and small cases can sit. It functions as a small burial chamber of some kind. In the center, there is a large urn, about a foot and a half wide, squat, a dull grey color.

Baroque Chamber
Supported in its center by two pillars, this 30-foot high, square Baroque-style grand chamber, was covered with intricate designs and a beautiful interior. This chamber looked to be 80 feet long, though was cut short to around 50-feet due to the back wall of the room being completely collapsed inward, causing the whole room to be slightly tilted to the left side.

The floor was made of solid marble squares that are off-color to each other, giving it a checkered type pattern. The walls had half-pillars intricately carved out of them, and places that are inset where art pieces could sit. There are shelves in places where art can sit. In the middle of the chamber, there are two load-bearing pillars that mark the center and lead up to the ceiling.

There were two upside down acorn-style alcoves that mirroring each other on each side of the chamber. A foot tall, they contained red clay urns. Dangling above from the ceiling there was a set of chains from which hung a third red clay urn. These urns contain ashes and would continually re-spawn will-o'-wisps until they were destroyed. The lower half of each urn, had a metal-lined bottom, on the inside of which had a very faint carvings matching the symbols of the octagonal chamber. When these bowls were heated, portion the symbols for enchantment, transmutation, and illusion lit up.

Located in the center of the chamber, at the edge of the wall collapse, there was a white very thinly carved relief that resembled a robed figure with two heads. Having a merged torso this relief was male on one side and female on the other. Having the same features, and similar hairstyles the heads of this figure had emotionless faces looking upwards towards the ceiling with vacant, circular holes for eyes, that were quarter of an inch deep. When a coin was inserted in the holes the relief opens in half and uncovers a 30-foot deep pit beneath the floor. The bottom of this pit contained piles of charred bones and remain having long-rotted clothing. Among these 40 or so decaying corpses there were a few pieces of coin, jewelry including a silver bracelet attached by a chain to a ring. There was also a diamond shaped vial with a crystal topped stopper, which contained a brackish brown-black sludge of a liquid, which when identified revealed to be a potion that could grant the drinker necrotic resistance for one hour.

Siphon Rod
Found partially buried in the back wall of the baroque chamber was the four and a half foot long, half inch diameter, brass colored siphon rod used in the octagonal room, 100 feet below. The bottom half of this rod was straight for a foot then continued in a tight coil to the very top where there was a small metallic knob.



Attempting to discern the nature of the octagonal room, Mollymauk placed the metallic bowls, that had been the bottoms of the clay urns found in the Baroque chamber, onto the triangular pedestal. Believing that the symbols found on the pedestal represented variations of those of the Divination, Evocation, and Necromancy symbols on the ceiling, Jester cast Toll of the Dead towards one of the bowls. When the spell was released the necromatic energy of the spell was siphoned into the lightning rod top of the staff. Causing the room to shake, and caused the large square pillar suspended in the center of the room to open releasing a Gelatinous Cube down into the room before re-closing.