An ancient location in the south of Barovia, along the trail to Mt Ghakis. Built directly into the Balinok Mountains, it was originally constructed by wizards more than 2,000 years ago in order to contain some unknown evil vestige.

It is the last known location of Baba Lysaga, and the current location of the lich Exethanter. It is known that Strahd von Zarovich once journeyed to the Temple, but his purpose has been lost to history. Given the parameters of one of the amber sarcophagi that Percy discovered, it is likely that Strahd made the deal to become a vampire here.

First Floor

The inside of the temple is seemingly carved from amber, perhaps for its ability to hold magic, or because of its fossilizing properties. Black marble columns extend towards the ceiling.

There is a natural fissure in the rock leading into a side room of the front of the temple. Inside we found a hunting party who fled when they heard us outside.

The central chamber of the first and second floors contains a massive statue in a casting stance with magical darkness obscuring its face. Percy could see nothing through it. A small seam in the back of the statue can be triggered to open a door leading to a spiral staircase going up to the head. Inside we found an Arcanaloth disguised as a strange old man, who told us that he was the protector of the place, which contained many evils. He referred to the faceless God of Secrets and told us that a man upstairs, who turned out to be Exethanter, may have answers for us.

Behind the statue to the left, there is a room that is almost entirely pulverized. Directly behind is a secret door leading to staircase which ends in another hidden door. Behind it is a lavishly decorated library. The ceiling is decorated with a mural of angels being set ablaze in hell.

At the front of the temple is a room protected by intelligent Flame Skull wards. There is a hole in the floor containing hand holds which lead down into a room with a red marble floor and amber sarcophagi.

Off of the main hall is a smaller, arched hall with a 20 foot ceiling. Its amber-glazed walls are enchanted with Illusion magic to appear as reflections of ourselves waving their arms and screaming silent warnings. Around the corner is another hallway with black marble floors and ledges recessed into the walls 5 feet off of the ground. Upon each ledge is displayed a life-sized alabaster statue of an animal. Percy recognizes that they are probably representations of wizards' familiars. They give off no magical aura and do not appear different in the Ethereal Plane or with Truesight.

To the north of the hall is a room containing three amber sarcophagi, one of which is broken. Four Nothics were in the room. To the west is a room with an arcane lock. Inside is a black and red marble floor and three more sarcophagi, along with a creature that Percy banished. Two more rooms in the hall contain ruined former bed chambers. The southern room contains more sarcophagi.

To the south of the main hall is a large crypt behind an arcane locked door. Ledges in the wall contain skeletons, and the candelabras ignite on their own as the rooms are passed through. Some of the skeletons or parts of their bodies appear to be coated in amber. The niches to the east are empty and the candles do not light.

The hallway to the east of the main chamber is collapsed into rubble in its northern section. In the southern portion lies the red marble room, arcane locked and containing sarcophagi. We killed three old ladies in tattered clothes with brooms here.

To the southeast is another room that is arcane locked, with a blue marble floor. It also contains sarcophagi.

To the northeast is an old bedroom, containing a bed with golden hawks on the corner posts. There are arcane sigils on the walls but Percy could not recognize them. Gale stole the hawks.

To the north we found the Shield Guardian in a decrepit room.

Second Floor

There is a banquet room upstairs. The food does not appear to be magical, but there is a trap that released specters when Bellerand grabbed a pitcher from the table.

A room next to it contains a small statue with an obscured face that draws one towards it with an intense, unnatural admiration. It is possible that the statues are wards meant to stop people from entering the temple, or it is possible that the statue serves as a prison for some evil that is trapped inside. Inside this room is a secret door leading to a room full of skulls with an iron chest upside down on the ceiling with a trapped lid. Another secret door leads to an ornately decorated room covered in cobwebs and containing a skeleton with glowing red eyes wearing tattered wizard robes.

On the other side of the banquet room is a room containing a 12 foot tall solid rock replica of Ravenloft Castle. Bellerand memorized the layout. Both Gale and Dren secretly ran away from the party to sit in the room, leading Percy to believe that something is drawing them to it.

The eastern hallway of the second floor is an arched corridor with arrow slits. Its floor is cracked. To the east is a large lecture room, with descending rows of red marble benches and an obsidian lectern, lit by copper lanterns. There are remnants of a slate chalkboard. We found Vilinus hiding here. To the north is a room that contained another hawk-headed amber golem, which we killed.

To the north of the balcony lies a room that is in ruins. The alcoves are empty and a statue is broken. A secret door leads to a rusty corridor that turns to the east and goes downward to the other side of the collapsed hallway. Through a doorway we found more sarcophagi and seven feral humanoids with third eyes that were blinded by cataracts.

Category: Places