A Time for Valor
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Cartography: The room is a 10-foot wide corridor that extends 20 feet south from the base of a steep 45-degree stairwell that ascends 15 feet northward, turns east for another 40 feet, and terminates at a door. In the southernmost section, centered on the north wall, is a 20-foot wide, 10-foot deep semi-circular alcove. |
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Room Details: The ceiling in this room is 10 feet high. The air quality is adequate. The volume of the room is approximately 3,000 cubic feet. The elevation of the room is -100 feet to -115 feet. This room is included in Dungeon Zone 1. |
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Landmarks: A circular locked door on the east wall, a statue of a kneeling spread-winged valkyrie holding a treasure chest. |
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Ahead, the corridor bends eastward, and at the far end, a circular gilt door stands waiting in the company of a statue depicting a valkyrie. Kneeling with wings spread wide, a silent sentinel carved in stone. She cradles a treasure chest in her hands, yet her gaze is far off, distant, as though her thoughts lie on something beyond time itself. The air in the room hangs heavy, the stillness oppressive, as though the statue is aware of your presence, observing and passing judgement, ever vigilant. |
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The treasure chest held by the statue is a Soul Vault, a magical container capable of trapping one soulbound creature. Once per day, while empty, the chest can be activated as an action. When activated, a random soulbound creature within 5 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be drawn into the vault, which then closes tightly, holding the creature helpless until released. While occupied, the lid requires a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to open. Opening the vault releases the trapped creature, allowing it to act at the start of its next turn. Currently, the vault contains a soulbound human knight. |
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The soulbound knight trapped in the chest held by the valkyrie statue carries a shield boldly emblazoned with a triquetra. This symbol serves as the clue needed to operate the dial that unlocks the eastern door. The door is perfectly round, crafted from blackened iron, and adorned with intricate gilt knotwork. Its lock is difficult to bypass, and a central dial can be turned to one of five positions—triquetra, triskelion, trefoil, trio of chevrons, or trident—and pressed. When the dial is set to the triquetra and depressed, the door unlocks, provided the dial has not been depressed on an incorrect symbol within the last 24 hours. |
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When the soulbound human knight is released from the valkyrie statue’s soul vault, he assumes a defensive stance, raving about flames and dragons. Two rounds after his release, a soulbound red dragon wyrmling manifests in the room. The wyrmling targets the knight, while he attacks it in turn. In life, the knight had attempted to retrieve red dragon eggs for his liege, but while sneaking into the dragon’s lair, he found the eggs had already hatched into wyrmlings. He managed to slay one before the others overwhelmed him. The souls of the two—knight and wyrmling—remain bound together by their violent deaths. If adventurers refrain from attacking the knight and aid him against the wyrmling, and he survives, he kneels and offers himself to be destroyed. He explains that the curse of the dungeon compels him to violence towards them, expresses gratitude for the adventurers’ aid in fulfilling his destiny, and asks them to help him leave this world with his honor in tact. When the knight is destroyed the valkyrie statue crumbles to a pile of scree, leaving behind only the soul vault. |
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