The Land around the Great Temple of Mozz

Locations
[1] Base of the Temple
[2] Enchanted Plots
[3] Exposed Trenches
[4] Quiet Estuary
[5] Jungle
[6] Migration Stone
[7] Lovely Slots
[8] The Lump
[9] Overlook Mesa
[10] Drytalon Canyon
[11] Perching Stone
[12] Desert
[13] Gnoll Camp
[14] Vulture Block
[15] The Peaks
[16] Tricksome Spire
[17] Shadowy Recess
[18] Avalanche Pass
[19] Camp Remnants
[20] Savannah
[21] Eggeater's Shrine

Wandering Encounters - Roll 1d6
[1] Giant Spiked Lizards (1 HD, +2 AC, +1 To-Hit, 1d4 Bite, 1d2 Eyebleed)
Morale- 6
Numbers- 1d6+1

Desert creatures- hungry for their next meal. Covered in thorns but not too dangerous. When threatened (if they take damage and survive) they shoot blood from their eyes- the blood stings like nettles. However after they shoot the eye-blood they become blind and can't see for the rest of the fight.

[2] Bird-Eating Snake (1 HD, +1 AC, +3 To-Hit, 1d4 Bite, Necrotic Venom)
Morale- 6
Numbers- Just one

Drab desert snake, blends in well. Sans rattle. If it bites you, save or take 1d6 damage per turn for the next hour. Its bite causes the flesh around it to rot away. This is a purely defensive tool; as the snake only eats birds. It hates the color green.

[3] Drytongue Camel (3 HD, +1 AC, 1d4 Hoof, Dryspit, Undead)
Morale- N/A
Numbers- 1d6

Shambling undead creatures from the deep desert. Desiccated corpses of camels; these creaky abominations move with surprising speed. Unless you are mounted, you cannot outrun them. They are Undead, and can be Turned.

While their sandy hoof-falls are not especially dangerous on their own, the camels spit is its most dangerous weapon. Each time one spits on someone, make a save. On a failed save, that person is suddenly extremely thirsty and must drink any liquid nearby (like a potion) or pass out from dehydration. If there is no adequate supply of water nearby, they will die in one hour. Camels can only spit once every three rounds.

If you brought horses along with you that died in the desert, this camel encounter will be joined by them. They have the same stats, but they can't spit.

[4] Giant Termites (2+2 HD, +2 AC, 1d6 Bite, Xylophagy, Blind)
Morale- 11
Numbers- 1d6 + 1 per round

Huge bugs that crawl around. There's never just one. If you "finish" this encounter, you didn't kill them all, they just got busy doing something else. The Termites are blind and won't be able to follow you if you just walk away quietly; as long as you aren't carrying anything too smelly.

Termites eat wood. On a hit, the termite has a 1 in 2 chance of consuming a wooden haft or handle of whatever weapon you're holding, or taking two rounds to fully munch down a wooden shield. If you don't have a wooden weapon, ignore this. Throwing down a sheaf of arrows is a good way to get them to leave you alone.

[5] Spanshadow (1 HD, +6 AC, Ethereal, Spells)
Morale- 10
Number- 1d3

This creature appears as the shadow of a great bird flying overhead, but if you look up- you'll see nothing in the sky. It is only a shadow on the ground, and a thing of powerful dark magic.

The shadow passes by quickly, as though it is in flight. You can only harm the shadow with a magic weapon, and only by striking its shadow as it flies by with great speed. In addition, the shadow casts spells- curses or hexes, but it can only strike those whose shadow passes over it. For this reason; ignore any spell effects that target an area of effect or hit more then one person. The shadows will keep casting spells and harass anyone until you defeat them or rest under something shady for 1d4 turns.

[6] Gnoll Patrol (2 HD, 1d6+1 Cruel Weapons, Pack Tactics, Superstition)
Morale- 8
Number- 2d6 Patrol OR 2d8+1 Shaman

Uh oh. Gnolls are strong and brutal, and get a bonus to damage. Gnolls aren't especially smart, but like to use basic flanking tactics- one attacks the front, while another circles to the rear to go in for the stealthy kill. Gnolls of this group are superstitious; the first time you cast a spell on them, they'll all be stunned for one round. Once the initial shock of this has worn off- they'll be back to normal.

There is also a 1 in 4 chance the Gnolls will be escorting their shaman to some place of magical importance or an especially interesting piece of carrion. Witchfinger is a 2+2 HD Gnoll Shaman that casts all sorts of nasty spells; but his favorite is his Whirlwind.

[ToM] Tricksome Spire

Large and steep spike of stone jutting from the sandy Earth. Just away from The Peaks, which was once the housing district of the People of Mozz, this large spire may have once held a massive mansion for a great and powerful ruler, or perhaps a community center for many small winged souls.

Now, the spire stands bare. But the top of the spire hints at great treasure- a great bird's nest. The interesting about the spire is what happens to those when it is traveled around. The spire's tip appears unreachable from the ground, but if one were to circle around to find a way up, they would find a great change overcoming the spire.

If you walk around the Spire clockwise, the peak seems to get higher up, and a perilous, short path appears along the sides, but the nest bigger and more interesting place to visit.

If you walk around the Spire anticlockwise, the peak seems to get lower, and a safer, longer path appears along the sides, but the nest looks smaller and less impressive.

These effects seem real, but are local. Nobody in the far distance ever sees the spire getting bigger or shorter, it just looks the same. But if you stand at the base of the spire and someone else walks around it in circles, you can notice the changes too. It is not merely illusion.

Rotating around the spire takes a good bit of time on foot- going around on horseback or through some other faster way of traveling doesn't speed up the changes- it takes 1 Turn of circling the Spire either way. The X on the chart below is the number of rotations.

X	Clockwise	Anticlockwise
1	Steep path. Takes two turns to get to the top if anyone has -1 Con modifier or worse. Top has an eagle's nest- eggs are worth one ration.	Placid Path. Take two turns to reach the top. Top has an eagle's nest- eggs are worth one ration.
2	Very Steep path. Give everyone 1 nonlethal damage from the exertion. Finch nest has 1d8 silver coins nicked from the landscape.	Gentle ramp. Takes three turns to reach the top. There's an owl's nest with a few rat bones.
3	Perilous Path. Make an easy save- if you fail, another person must save to catch you else you fall to your death. Nest is for a pack of buzzards (1 HD, 1d4 beaks, low morale). The Buzzards have collected a bunch of golden bones worth 2d20 gp.	Barely inclined. Takes four turns to reach the top. Nest is abandoned.
4	Suicidal Path. Nobody can access without climbing gear or Dexterity +1. Thieves get a bonus. If you fail a save on the way, you just fall to your death. At the top is the nest of a Roc and a Roc's egg. If you break the Egg and drink its juice- 1d6 Max HP permanently.	Spiral stairs. The ground has morphed into stairs. At the top, a fake nest made of grass. There is a sign; “Display purposes only.”

[ToM] Desert

It's a desert. Sand, cracked earth, sad grasses and hot sun. There's not much alive or decent in this place. The desert is one of the most straightforward ways to get to the temple; it just requires a very long trek through an inhospitable hellscape.

The desert is so dry and desolate that you must keep track of water and heat- things that the rest of the valley is still safe from- despite how arid it is. The desert is just that formidable. If you travel across this desert without camels or a way to conjure or create water, you will suffer the consequences. Traveling through the desert is its own minigame.

Travelling Thru the Desert
It takes three days to move through the desert if you have a guide (someone who has been to the temple before OR the member of a desert-dwelling race who can help). Otherwise, it takes five days total.

Each "Day" you can travel during the Daytime (in the heat) or the Night (in the cold). Each travel action counts as a "Day", but in universe your actual number of days travelling through the desert depends on how long you rest or if you chain them together (you could travel by day THEN by night without stopping, which would count as two "Days" traveled though only one day has passed- but naturally that would cause some serious exhaustion or other consequences!)

For each travel action, you suffer the consequences written in the square for that number of days travelled. These always ascend and are kept over the whole trip. So for example, if you travel by night the first day, then by day the second, and then day again the third, then you would have suffered the consequences in the first night box, then the first day box, then the second day box, in that order. If you have a large barrel of water (large enough for a man to bathe in), you can ignore the consequences of the first "By Day" result.

X	By Day	By Night
1	All of your horses die.	No effect.
2	Take 1d6 Con Damage	Random Encounter.
3	Save vs Death.	Everyone takes 1d2 Dex Damage from cold.
4	Permanent HP Max Reduction by 1d6 Points. Save vs Death.	Random Encounter. If you stop to rest after; roll another Random Encounter.
5	All of your camels die. Save vs Death.	All your horses die. Scorpions seek your warmth- save or take 2d6 damage.

In addition; this large flat area of land is where the Gnolls of the Gnoll Camp watch most closely for prey- and especially love caravans or adventurers weak and thirst-weary from a long trek through the sandy desert as their newest victims. If you travel the desert by day or under a bright moon, the Gnolls will see you coming and try to ambush you out on the plain beneath their camp. You can always flee back the way you came if you see their tents made of human skin- but then you'd have to trek back through the desert the exact same way back.

[ToM] Jungle

Verdant jungle. Fed by the rain and water from the great temple; this is an oasis of life among a vast arid landscape, set in a depression in the earth. This jungle was once more temperate, and sacred to the People of Mozz as a place to gather material for their nests- sticks, straw, and strong vines to bind them together. The forest floor is a danger, but the canopy is like another world- a level above the violent earth.

The Jungle is vast- and hides secrets. If you come to the Jungle seeks the Eggeater's Shrine, you will not be able to find it. You can only roll a d20 and on a 20 you will find the shrine. However, each day you spend exploring the jungle, add +1 to your d20 chance to find the Shrine. If you read ancient lore from the Great Temple or are carrying Mozz eggs, add +1 to your chance. Once you have visited the Shrine at least once, you can find it again. The secret of the shrine is to pass between two great trees with vines strung together; this is a gateway that hides the Shrine by its magic.

In addition; the Jungle is unlike the rest of the land around the Great Temple. Use a jungle or tropical list for random encounters here.

[ToM] Savanna

Arid grassland with a few trees dotting its area. This area is what remains of what was once serene grassland and the beautiful expanse of land that lead up to the temple; now wild. The savanna is hot in the day and cool at night, and very open. You cannot be surprised on the savanna, except by The Cat.

The savanna is also notable as it is the best place to hunt for game nearby the temple. The main herbivores here are gazelle, who travel in large herds. They were once totally placid and wouldn't even run if a bipedal animal approached them; that was until the gnolls and orcs came, which made them skittish. This is also the hunting ground of The Cat, who drags its prey up into the trees. The skins and remains of some of its kills can still be seen hanging in the branches.

The most notable feature of the savanna is it is the home of a group of Brownies. These brownies wear suits of African animals and are most active at dawn and dusk- if you wait around a full day you'll catch their silhouette in the distance at least once. If you get a positive reaction check, you can speak to them and trade with them. Among their possessions are a handful of bright green feathers; still as vivid as ever in their forever-young fingers, which once belonged to one of the people of Mozz. The boys don't understand the feathers' true value for those trying to enter the Temple and will trade them for a handful of toys or treats. If you piss them off they'll give you one last chance to earn the feathers- but only if you permanently put down The Cat.

[ToM] Overlook Mesa

An important overlook above the Drytalon Canyon, which you must naturally pass thru to reach the top. You can see for miles up here; including the valley up to the temple and beyond. This gives you the best vantage point of the area where the deadly light shines from the temple while still being safe from it. If you watch the light go off from up here; you get a better idea of its total range and where is safe and where isn't; reduce your travel time thru the Exposed Trenches by one Turn.

This mesa is also significant to the gnolls of the area. If someone in your party is a Druid, they can tell it is a sacred site to a shaman; related to the powers of the wind and harshness of a desert. Bones are placed with care around the rocks and edges of the cliffside- a sort of bleak temple. If you desecrate this sacred site, the shaman will lose his most powerful spell but you will anger the gnolls who will track and hound the scents of anyone they smell that has been here.

Underneath the sand and dust on the mesa is a central altar made of smooth carved stone, embedded into the rock. It is made of an identical "clay-stone" material as the temple itself. This was once a sacred site to the people of Mozz. You can only find the true nature of this place if divination is used on the mesa to uncover this secret, or this information is found in the Temple itself and its long forgotten map carvings. The Overlook Mesa is the location of the lost Sun Circle.

8 Snakes & Their Unusual Venoms

These are giant evil snakes or anything, they're just snakes. All snakes here have 1 hit point (die on any hit) and AC 14 unless otherwise stated. Because of fast they can strike, they don't make attack rolls, instead just make a save vs poison. Upon failure, you suffer their venom effect. If you aren't surprised by them, you can try to attack and kill them before they bite. Snakes bite once and then run away, unless they predate on people.

[1] Thunder Asp
This small snake has a dark gray body with yellow highlight scales; giving it the impression of a lightning bolt. It can open its mouth in a threat display, which shows off its bright yellow fangs that spark with electricity when exposed to the static electricity in the air. Its spit acts as a conductor, so whenever it opens its mouth a sudden shock is generated.

Venom Effect- An electrical shock. You take 1d6+1 lightning damage. You also twitch and take 1d3 damage to your Dexterity from fried nerves.

[2] Skin Snake
It has no scales (set AC to 10) and looks like a little dismembered penis slithering around. Kind of gross, but cute in a weird way. The skin snake doesn't come out during the day or night, since it's too hot or cold, and its very sensitive, preferring to run across smooth stones then irritating sand and gravel. The skin snake will still bite when threatened like other snakes- before going back to its burrow lined with various bits of nesting material to keep it comfortable.

Venom Effect- The skin snake's venom makes the victim feel uncomfortable and itchy. Rashes break out over your skin very easily. You have to make a saving throw every exploration turn you are wearing armor- you cannot wear any armor for the next exploration turn if you fail the saving throw. This effect lasts for about two days.

[3] Cookie Snake
This snake is named after a specific type of cookie; the snickerdoodle. (or maybe the cookie is named after the snake, nobody knows). It has about the color and texture you'd expect, though the snake itself tastes terrible even as far as snakemeat goes.

Venom Effect- Once bitten, unusual yellow discharge will start to leak from your eyes. You get -2 to attack rolls, and disadvantage on ranged attacks or spell-aiming rolls. This discharge is sometimes collected as a minor magical reagent for certain magic user spells, but is only useful fresh (leading to keeping cookie snakes). The discharge will continue to come out for an hour, or six turns, before clearing up.

[4] Frazetta Viper
This snake is a small dull brown. Despite its camouflaged color, it tends to sun bathe on the top of stones in the sun, giving it a golden tan.

Venom Effect- Anyone bit by this snake has their body's muscular system hijacked. Over the next three days, they gain an intense amount of muscle mass while stealing vital elements from their organs and blood- they gain +1d2 Strength per day, losing an equal amount of Constitution at the same rate. This venom technically does no damage, but can be very deadly simply because some people's bodies essentially starve themselves to death to build huge, unnecessary muscle mass. At the end of the three days the person experiences massive fatigue, pass out, and loses all Strength gains over their one hour bout of unconsciousness. Their Constitution takes time to come back (one point per day). 

Intense amounts of bloodletting will prevent a day's worth of Strength gain/Con loss, but deals 1d3 damage from the blood loss instead.

[5] Serpent-of-the-Stones
This snake is quite large, treat it as a 1 HD creature. It has a black and gray body color with a long, flat head. The Serpent of the Stones is a creatures said to be distantly related to dragons; due to its habit of phasing into stones and sleeping in them for many years, only to spring out again when a careless mason or miner splits the rock. The main power of this snake is its extremely magically potent venom that allows living things (but nothing else) to pass through and into whatever its venom has touched. It can use these on rocks to slither inside, but flesh can also yield. These snakes can do this to eat your liver, which they do to any large bodied, warm blooded animal.

Venom Effect- When bitten, you get two saves. The first is to avoid the bite. The second is to clutch and claw at your skin to prevent the snake from eating your liver. If you fail both saves, you die. If you fail one save, the snake will be knocked loose. Additionally, any other living thing you touch for the next hour has a 1 in 6 chance to phase partially into you; no AC roll required to hit with natural weapons like claws and teeth and so on.

[6] Hoop Snake
This snake is very aggressive and will bite its tail to roll towards its prey, especially on the downhill slopes of mountains. You save at -2 unless you see the snake coming, which is difficult as you will be looking at it from the dead on straight angle unless another party member is watching out. The snake is very agile and fast; it can zigzag through a field of caltrops for example.

Venom Effect- Save or die poison. People who die from this have their muscles clench and contort- their faces are always found in a look of extreme surprise. You can also save yourself by stepping behind a tree, in which case the snake will struck the tree causing it to wilt, blacken, and die instead.

[7] Diary Moccasin
An unusual viper with a yellowish scale color, flecked by black spots. The spots on its back are random and unique for each snake; many local cultures use them as a form of divination. Their venom has a mental effect associated with it- forgetfulness, flights of fantasy, and obliviousness. Those who are bitten want to write down their experiences and ideas, leading to a sort of absent mindedness and foolishness that weakens them to magic.

Venom Effect- Once bitten, the victim loses 1d3 points of Wisdom per day. You cannot drop below half your original Wisdom, rounding up, from the effects of this poison. The victim also seeks to write things down and will scratch things into wood or their own skin if unable to write in a book or on tablets. Those who are illiterate will draw pictograms instead. The victim of the bite must spend at least one turn per hour scrawling things down.

Anyone who reads something they've written, at the time of this venom or not, gains an inside knowledge of the bite victim which makes them vulnerable to magic from that person, as though reading their true name or essence on the page. You can totally burn and destroy everything you wrote down if you didn't lose any of it; but during the venom you'll have a spasm if anyone tries to take your crazed writings away from you. The effects of this venom last about a week.

[8] Magnetic Biter
This snake looks a silvery color with blue highlights, especially around the tip of its tail and its head. It has a constant magnetic field around its body; consider it as having +2 AC at least against heavy weapons, which try to veer away from it as though magnetically opposed.

Venom Effect- Anyone bitten by this snakes experiences magnetic "pulses" that rip through their body, deals 1d4 damage every exploration turn you are wearing or holding metal objects. If you are wearing no metal items, you still take 1 damage from the iron in your blood beings forced out through your skin in tiny, impossible to see metal flakes. You get a save every hour to end the effect.