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Temple of the Draconian Seer Map Pack!
🕑 Added 2023-05-21 04:05:24 +0000 UTCThe download URL for the map files can be found in a following "Tier Rewards" post specific to your tier, or on the Pinned post on the front page of the Patreon.
Intro Story
The elder mage walked with a slight limp, the dragon carved scones casting long shadows upon the smooth stone walls of the temple hall.
As he turned the corner of the hall, he glanced back toward the small group of adventurers following close behind. They had come to meet with the Seer, and had waited nearly a week before an opportunity arose. It was not uncommon. The Seer was extremely busy, tasked with objectives their minds couldn't possibly fathom.
They had come to ask about the location of some trivial object -- a black gem. It was rumored to even be on this Plane. The elder mage scoffed. May as well have come to ask about the location of a mountain on the horizon.
As he shuffled along, one of the members of the party, a cheerful, red-haired halfling woman piped up, "We sure did appreciate the Seer seeing us as he did. He seemed angry. We hope we didn't...do anything wrong."
The elder mage slowed and turned, his beady black eyes shifting toward the woman before replying, "No, he wasn't angry -- merely concerned with the many tasks laid before him." The mage placed a scaled claw upon the halflings leather pauldron reassuringly, "He's always like that."
Passing through a large stone doorway, the elder mage padded south through a spacious entryway holding the formidable statue of a soldier, sword at the ready and a finger thrust southward toward an unseen enemy. Firelight danced from the glowing heart of potted fireblooms in each corner, a luminous flower discovered on a distant world.
Drawing up before the southern doorway, the elder mage turned and managed a toothy smile toward the small group. "This is where we will part ways, travelers. I hope that the Seer was able to give you that which you sought, and pray further..."
The mage's words were interrupted by a powerful tremor that shook the room, trails of dust falling from the ceiling overhead.
An older knight in the group glanced upward sharply, "What was that?"
The elder mage pursed his lips to answer, when a heavy stone door slid down to block the southern passage with a heavy thud.
Another traveler, an elf in long white robes wearing the golden medallion of Aelor squinted toward the door, then back toward the mage, "What is the meaning of this? Is this meant to lock us in?"
The elder mage's face darkened, as another tremor shook the chamber. It was louder and stronger than before. Drawing in a slow breath, the mage shook his head and turned toward the elven priest, "No, it is meant to keep something from getting out."
The meek voice of a human bard piped up from the back of the group, "To keep...what, exactly, from getting out?"
The mage whispered a word of magic and the tip of its black obsidian staff suddenly burst into a bright orange flame. Turning toward the party, he offered, "Something not of this world. I'm afraid your stay has been extended and, if you wish to survive, I would advise you stick close to me and at the ready."
As the mage turned back toward the stone hallway from which they came, the bard queried, "Ready for what?"
Pausing near the northern doorway, his scaled features glinting in the light of his staff, the mage answered, "Anything."
--
The Temple of the Draconian Seer is a Living Dungeon, meant to be used for a multitude of purposes, including as the backdrop of a combination of social and combat encounters within a living, breathing environment.
The temple is dedicated to the deity known as the World Dragon, ruler of the Planes and devourer of knowledge. Its members pursue the study and use of portals – primarily teleportation between worlds, planes and, sometimes, realities. It is extremely complex and dangerous, as the destinations to which the followers travel can often hold beings of immense power, hostile environments and catastrophic consequences with the most casual of misstep.
It is also extremely profitable. Travel to other planes and worlds affords the temple with access to arcane secrets, secret alliances and ancient artifacts. Servants of the World Dragon dedicate themselves to the exploration, study and hoarding of these secrets, to be used at a time of their choosing to forward the goals of their deity.
The temple hosts both arcane priests and arcane warriors trained to deal with the many dangers of exploring distant worlds and adopting planar travel. Its chambers are filled with tomes, books, artifacts and scrolls detailing the knowledge they have accumulated, as well as tools to assist in their endeavors.
The following descriptions will match with the attached legend:
[1] - Entry Chamber -- this large entry chamber contains the large statue of a warrior pointing southward toward a set of stairs, while carved scenes adorn the walls showing locations such as the Shadowfell, Feywild and other similar areas.
[2] - Visitor's Quarters - a small bedroom here accommodates guests to the temple, with four large beds and a small table illuminated by a firebloom flower, one of the many wonders found in the travels of the temple's inhabitants.
[3] - Meeting Hall - this long room boast a heavy stone table ringed with many chairs, while the walls are layered in stone-carved bookshelves. This room is intended to house temple staff, visitors and others for formal meetings.
[4] - Orrery - this stone chamber is ringed with bookshelves, while the crimson carpeted floor is illuminated by an illusory representation of the evening sky. In the center of the room is a large orrery detailing the temple's thoughts as to the presence and movement of various heavenly objects.
[5] - Exploration Rooms - these two chambers house small libraries set about a large table bearing the map of a current location being explored. Teams will frequently manage explored locations, log details of the visits and plan future visits.
[6] - Artifact Cataloguing Room - this broad chamber contains several tables where temple staff inspect and attempt to identify the properties of any artifacts brought back from the other travelers.
[7] - Staff Quarters - quarters dedicated to research staff lay here, providing comfortable accommodations for those that manage the cataloguing and planning of expeditions into the other planes.
[8] - Privies & Bath - these provide necessary access to temple staff for bathing and other related activities.
[9] - Everfull Well - whether by spring-fed system or magical artifact, this large well is always filled with sparkling clear water, which is then barreled and transported to the various areas of the temple that need it.
[10] - Chamber of the Arcane Knights - this chamber contains a large table encircled by chairs with the blades of several swords aligning with each seated person. The table is used by the temple's Arcane Knights, soldiers trained in both sword and sorcery to handle the rigors and dangers of planar travel.
[11] - Arcane Knight Armory & Officer Quarters - this large chamber houses the armory of the Arcane Knights, as well as the private quarters of their Captain.
[12] - Arcane Knight Training Room - this large room contains racks of weaponry, towels, benches for viewing and a large sparring platform for the knights to practice and hone their fighting form.
[13] - Arcane Knight Barracks - this barracks houses the bulk of the arcane knights, capable of sleeping anywhere between 22 - 44 squires and knights.
[14] - Temple Staff Quarters - this small living quarters is reserved for cooks and serving staff living in the temple.
[15] - Temple Kitchen - this large kitchen provides meals for the knights, researchers and mage-priests of the temple.
[16] - Kitchen Larder - this ample storage room contains crates of food and raw supplies for the many meals cooked and served in the temple each day.
[17] - Grand Dining Hall - this large dining hall is designed to serve most of the temple's inhabitants, as well as serve as a gathering location for large announcements, celebrations or formal affairs.
[18] - Antichamber of the Draconian Seer - this small chamber exists beyond the chambers of the Seer and contains a large stone statue of a dragon hovering over a lit brazier, its glittering emerald eyes watching the room.
[19] - Chamber of the Draconian Seer - this large office contains private bookshelves, cabinets and storage for the leader of the temple, as well as a large table containing the skull of an ancient dragon, whose soul can be summoned via a ritual with the gleaming red crystal in its eye. The dragon's soul is sometimes consulted for wisdom, though it is not always happy to oblige.
[20] - Private Quarters of the Seer -- these are the private chambers of the Seer, containing bed, desk, shelves and other similar accommodations.
[21] - Private Meeting Room of the Seer -- for private meetings with officers or the occasional visitor, this chamber is used. It also contains a glowing purple crystal that can be used to amplify attempts at scrying.
[22] - Hall of Runes - This long hallway connects many parts of the temple and has several runes set into square tiles along its floor. The nature of these runes is known only to the temple inhabitants and may be defenses, combination for locks, activate specific wards or be used in other rituals. At the eastern end of the hall is an ominous looking skull of a dragon. I'm sure it's just decorative.
[23] - Small Shrine - this small shrine is dedicated to the World Dragon, and has a tome upon an altar bearing the many tenets of the order.
[24] - Library Labyrinth - this expansive library is a labyrinth of twisting corridors and chambers, designed to train the arcane priests to constantly work out puzzles and challenge their memory as they conduct research for future missions.
[25] - Arcane Priest Barracks - this large barracks houses the arcane priests and provides accommodations for anywhere between 16 and 32 priests.
[26] - Summoning Circle - this summoning circle is used by the priests under the direction of the seer to occasionally reach out to extraplanar creatures and practice some of the arts used in the larger chamber. Statues in each corner serve as defenses against entities brought through the circle that may not choose to leave.
[27] - Head Priest Quarters - the private chambers of the head priest lay here, providing ample space for study, as well as more intimate environment to meet with the Seer or specific priests. A secret door leads westward toward the Great Portal.
[28] - Great Portal - this massive chamber is ringed with stone pillars and filled with sand. The ceiling is almost 80 feet in height, and a large stone platform lay in the center, upon which stands a stone archway that usually stands dark. It is used in rituals and ceremonies when opening portals to other planes or worlds.
I imagine this location being used in a variety of ways:
1. The PC's seek specific knowledge, or an artifact, and need to travel to and bargain with the temple to obtain what they seek. This may require them to complete a task for the temple in order to receive it -- perhaps a simple run-of-the-mill trip through the portal.
2. The PC's have lost something or someone to another Plane or World and need a way to travel there. The Draconian Seer may just know how to send them there.
3. The PC's are visiting the temple when something terrible happens, and what is usually a fairly academic place of learning turns into a nightmare, where entities from beyond threaten not only the temple, but the entire known world.
I hope you can use this map for lots of fun adventures!
Comments
Alaskankare
This is VERY COOL, but I had to chuckle because I have been listening to Sisters of Mercy lately and the title isntantly made me say "Temple of Love" lol. Do you have a temple of love that looks innocent and loving but really has a devil in a black dress that makes your guardian angel walk away? LOL succubus temple?
Kuyper Cummings
This is so freaking cool
