🌑 THE SUNKEN SPIRE 🌑

A haunted, partially flooded wizard’s tower filled with arcane horrors, forbidden knowledge, and a cursed mirror that whispers secrets in the dark.

🏰 Dungeon Overview

• Theme: An abandoned wizard’s sanctum where reality has begun to unravel through mirrors and flickering candlelight.

• Location: Hidden in a marsh, the tower leans half-submerged in black, stagnant water.

• Primary Threats: Starving mad apprentices, cursed constructs, planar anomalies, and Rennigar the Drowned.

• Connections: Notes, items, and rituals hint at Vaeltharn’s Ruined Tower, a shattered fortress riddled with planar scars.

🔑 Room Descriptions & Encounters

1. The Whispering Entry Hall

• Atmosphere: The walls drip with condensation, and the air carries the scent of damp parchment and rusted iron. The faint, chittering whispers from the cursed ring seem to come from every shadow.

• Encounter:

  • 1d3 Lesser Animate Runes (CR 3 each)—arcane glyphs that leap off the walls and strike intruders with magical force.

• Loot:

  • The Cursed Ring of Whispering Madness—A silver band that causes whispers in the dark, but reveals a secret door in the Library when worn there.

2. The Mess Hall – A Miserable Meal

• Atmosphere: A long oaken table, its surface scarred and stained, is surrounded by mismatched chairs. A pot bubbles over a magical brazier, filling the air with the sour stench of rancid meat.

• What’s on the Menu?

  • "Swamp Rat Stew" – tough, stringy meat, overcooked carrots, stale herbs.

  • Weevil-Infested Bread – dark specks wriggle under the crust.

  • A single fine bottle of Elven Wine (worth 25 gp), untouched.

• Encounters:

  • Aelis Vornath (CR 2) – Mad apprentice chef wielding a +1 Wooden Spoon of Perfection (+5 to Profession (Cook), 3/day).

• Loot:

  • A hidden drawer contains a Potion of Lesser Restoration (half-used).

3. The Library – Forbidden Tomes & Flickering Flames

• Atmosphere: The air is thick with dust, ink, and candle wax. The shelves lean unnaturally, warped as if heat or pressure had twisted the wood. A single book floats in midair, its pages flipping rapidly.

• Secret Door (Revealed by the Cursed Ring):

  • Wearing the ring here makes the whispers coherent, revealing a hidden chamber behind a bookshelf.

  • The hidden chamber contains a dust-covered map to Vaeltharn’s ruined tower, along with notes on rare candle recipes.

• Encounters:

  • Animated Spellbook (CR 3) – Attacks if disturbed.

  • Morrow Jask (CR 2) – Ink-mouthed lunatic who eats spellbooks and fears mirrors.

• Loot:

  • Wand of Mage Armor (9 charges) hidden in a compartment.

4. The Laboratory – Arcane Failures & Alchemical Stench

• Atmosphere: The room reeks of sulfur, burnt copper, and ozone. A cracked cauldron oozes black sludge. Shattered vials and half-burned spell scrolls litter the ground.

• Encounters:

  • "Patches," the Damaged Alchemical Golem (CR 5, Inactive) – A scorched and leaking construct, missing an arm. Can be repaired with a DC 25 Spellcraft check.

• Loot:

  • Potion of Fox’s Cunning

  • A half-finished Philosopher’s Stone (useless)

  • Ruby worth 100 gp

5. The Flooded Sanctum – Rennigar’s Chamber

• Atmosphere: The chamber is half-submerged in black, brackish water. A stone dais rises above the flood, topped by a twisted iron throne covered in shifting runes. Behind it, a jagged mirror pulses like a beating heart.

• Boss Fight:

  • Rennigar the Drowned (CR 7, Warped Lich) – His lungs no longer need air, and his body is bloated with stagnant water. He sees all intruders as fragments of his shattered self.

• Loot:

  • Tome of Aberrant Magicks (200 gp, but cursed)

  • Black Pearl of the Deep (500 gp, powers the Alchemical Golem)

  • Necklace of the Deep (Grants Water Breathing indefinitely)

Encounters

1. Lesser Animated Rune (CR 3)

Small Construct (Magical)
XP 800
Initiative +6
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light Vision; Perception +7

Defense

AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
HP 26 (4d10+5)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities Construct Traits, Arcane Hardening
DR 5/magic
Immune Construct traits
Resistances Acid 10, Fire 10
Weaknesses Vulnerable to Dispel Magic

Offense

Speed Fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee Arcane Slash +6 (1d6+2 magic slashing)
Special Attacks Glyph Strike, Spellburst

Glyph Strike (Su)

As a standard action, a Lesser Animate Rune can charge its body with arcane energy and make a touch attack against a creature within 5 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or be dazed for 1 round. This ability is a mind-affecting effect.

Spellburst (Su)

Once per day, a Lesser Animate Rune can detonate its stored magic as a burst of raw energy. As a free action, the rune explodes in a 10-foot radius, dealing 2d6 force damage to all creatures within range (Reflex DC 14 half). After using this ability, the rune becomes inert for 1d6 rounds, reforming afterward.

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 15, Con —, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +4; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Perception +7, Fly +11, Stealth +10
Languages Understands Common but cannot speak

Special Abilities

Arcane Hardening (Ex)

Lesser Animate Runes are naturally resistant to magical disruption. They gain a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. dispel magic and antimagic field effects.

Runic Recovery (Su)

If destroyed, a Lesser Animate Rune reforms in 24 hours unless its remains are completely erased or dispelled (DC 15 caster level check).

Creation

CL 6th; Craft Construct, Arcane Mark, Mage Hand, Lesser Symbol of Pain
Cost 3,500 gp
Price 7,000 gp

Tactics

• Before Combat: Lesser Animate Runes remain motionless, appearing as ordinary glowing runes on the walls or floors.

• During Combat: They attack spellcasters first, attempting to daze them with Glyph Strike before using Spellburst to weaken multiple foes.

2. Aelis Vornath (The "Chef" of the Mess Hall)

• Appearance & Clothing:
  Aelis wears a filthy, once-embroidered wizard's apprentice robe, now so stained with food and sweat that it's hard to tell its original color. Her belt sags with wooden spoon, a rusty kitchen knife, and a ladle tied with fraying rope. Her long, greasy red hair is tangled with breadcrumbs, and she has a deep scar across her lower jaw where a botched experiment once went wrong.

• Obsession: Perfecting the Ultimate Stew

  • She believes that if she can just get the right ingredients, she’ll unlock some kind of culinary divination magic.

  • Unfortunately, her ingredients are... questionable. She once stewed a mimic tentacle.

• Catchphrase:

  • "You just don’t appreciate the depth of flavor! Here, try the stew… hehehe…"

• Combat Tactics:

  • Throws boiling stew at enemies (1d6 fire damage, Fort DC 13 vs. Sickened).

  • Wields a +1 wooden spoon (as a club).

  • If reduced to 5 HP, she screams, "You'll never understand my art!" and tries to flee with her stew pot.

3. Morrow Jask (The Book-Eater)

• Appearance & Clothing:
  Morrow wears a patched-together robe made of stolen book pages, sewn with mismatched thread. His fingernails are ink-stained, and his left eye twitches constantly. He carries a leather-bound journal, but instead of writing in it, he tears out pages and eats them while muttering feverishly.

• Phobia: A deep, irrational fear of mirrors

  • He once glimpsed something moving within Rennigar's mirror and has been terrified ever since.

  • He refuses to look at his reflection and covers any shiny surface with ink-stained cloth.

• Catchphrase:

  • "Knowledge must be consumed! Only then does it become part of you!"

• Combat Tactics:

  • Casts Mage Hand to throw books at people.

  • Tries to force-feed enemies enchanted book pages (Fort DC 14 vs. choking).

  • If critically hit, he shrieks in Abyssal and attempts to eat his own spellbook.

4. The Alchemical Golem - "Patches"

• Condition:
  The Alchemical Golem in the lab is partially melted, missing an arm, and its internal mechanisms leak unstable reagents. Repairing it requires a DC 25 Spellcraft check and the following:

  • A fresh supply of alchemical fluids (found in the lab, but some are volatile).

  • The missing arm (hidden under a collapsed shelf, requires DC 15 Perception).

  • A power source (Rennigar’s black pearl could work, but would have side effects).

• If Repaired:
  The golem remembers everything—including the apprentices and Rennigar’s descent into madness. However, its original programming is fractured, so it has developed quirks.

• Quirks & Personality:

  • Refers to itself as "Patches" because of its stitched-together repairs.

  • Refuses to hurt "students" and will instead scold them for being messy.

  • Obsession with cleanliness—will demand that the dungeon be "tidied up" before helping in battle.

  • Catches fire randomly due to unstable alchemical fluids and must be put out.

  • Favorite Phrase: "Oh dear, oh dear! Master Rennigar would be MOST displeased with this mess!"

• If Given the Scroll of Awaken Construct (DC 30 Spellcraft to properly integrate):
  Patches fully gains sentience and develops a tragic realization:

  • It remembers when it was first created to serve Rennigar, but now realizes its master is a monster.

  • It becomes torn between its duty to obey and its newfound will to resist.

  • It will aid the players if they promise to “cleanse” the tower—either by destroying Rennigar or freeing his soul.

  • It will still scold them if they track mud inside.

5. Rennigar the Drowned (CR 7)

Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid, Water, Lich)
XP 3,200
Alignment Lawful Evil
Initiative +5
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-light Vision; Perception +14
Aura Drowning Presence (30 ft., DC 18 Will)

Defense

AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +8 natural)
HP 85 (10d8+40)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +10
Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4, DR 10/magic, Immune Undead Traits, Water Subtype
Weaknesses Vulnerable to Desiccation, Sunlight Powerlessness

Offense

Speed 30 ft., Swim 60 ft.
Melee Drowned Claw +12 (1d8+5 plus 1d4 Con damage and suffocation)
Ranged Touch of the Abyss +10 ranged touch (4d6 cold + staggered for 1 round)
Special Attacks Drowning Grip, Phantasmal Undertow, Mirror Stride
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +14)

• At Will—Detect Thoughts (DC 16), Water Walk, Control Water

• 3/day—Phantasmal Killer (DC 18), Black Tentacles, Vampiric Touch

• 1/day—Waves of Exhaustion, Horrid Wilting (DC 21)

Statistics

Str 20, Dex 18, Con —, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 26
Feats Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Claw), Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Skills Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Perception +14, Spellcraft +15, Swim +24, Intimidate +14
Languages Common, Aklo, Abyssal, Draconic

Special Abilities

Drowning Presence (Su)

Creatures within 30 feet of Rennigar must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or begin feeling an unnatural suffocation. While in this aura:

• They take a -2 penalty on all Fortitude saves against drowning or suffocation effects.

• If a creature is submerged in water while within this aura, they must hold their breath immediately or begin drowning instantly.

Drowned Claw (Su)

Rennigar’s claws are imbued with the cold of the abyss.

• A successful hit deals 1d8+5 damage and 1d4 Constitution damage as water floods the target’s lungs.

• If the target fails a DC 18 Fortitude save, they become fatigued for 1 minute.

Drowning Grip (Su)

If Rennigar grapples an opponent, their lungs fill with spectral water.

• DC 18 Fortitude save each round or begin suffocating (as per drowning rules).

• If the victim dies from this effect, their body rises as a Drowned Revenant (CR 4) within 1d4 rounds.

Phantasmal Undertow (Su)

As a standard action, Rennigar can summon a phantasmal wave that drags creatures toward him.

• 30 ft. cone; creatures must succeed at a DC 19 Will save or be pulled 10 feet closer and become entangled in spectral seaweed for 1d4 rounds.

• This effect ignores difficult terrain and solid ground—it appears as if reality itself shifts into water for a brief moment.

Mirror Stride (Su)

Rennigar can step into any reflective surface (including mirrors, still water, and polished metal) and exit from another within 500 feet as a move action.

• He can see through all reflective surfaces within range as if using scrying.

• A shattered mirror he steps into traps him for 1d6 rounds, preventing his escape.

Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex)

Rennigar cannot act in direct sunlight. He remains dormant until shaded or submerged in water.

Weakness: Vulnerable to Desiccation

Effects that dry out water-based creatures (such as Horrid Wilting) deal double damage to him.

Tactics

Before Combat: Rennigar lurks in the Flooded Sanctum, watching through mirror reflections.
During Combat: He starts combat by using Phantasmal Killer on the weakest-looking foe, then Black Tentacles to trap others. He tries to pull enemies underwater and uses Drowning Grip to kill quickly.
Morale: If reduced to 20 HP, he uses Mirror Stride to flee. If cornered, he casts Horrid Wilting in a last attempt to kill everything in range.

Treasure & Loot

• Tome of Aberrant Magicks (200 gp, but cursed) – A forbidden grimoire that whispers to its reader at night.

• Black Pearl of the Deep (500 gp) – Can be used to power magical constructs or bind water elementals.

• Necklace of the Deep – Grants Water Breathing indefinitely and Control Water 1/day.

Lair Effects in the Flooded Sanctum

• Waterlogged Reality: Non-magical fire (torches, lanterns) flicker and fail after 1d4 rounds.

• The Mirror’s Reflection: Any PC looking into the jagged mirror sees a version of themselves drowning in a different reality.

• Unnatural Tides: Every 1d6 rounds, water in the room rises or falls by 5 feet, altering battlefield elevation.

Extra Monster or two if needed

Fragmented Mirror Spirit (CR 4)

Medium Undead (Incorporeal, Extraplanar)
XP 1,200
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Initiative +5
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
Aura Shattered Reflection (30 ft., DC 15 Will)

Defense

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 deflection)
HP 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +7
Defensive Abilities Incorporeal, Mirror Slip
Immune Undead Traits
Weaknesses Vulnerable to Shattered Mirrors

Offense

Speed Fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee Fractured Touch +8 touch (2d6 force + 1d4 Charisma damage)
Ranged Splintered Scream +7 ranged touch (3d6 sonic, 15-ft. cone, Fort DC 15 halves)
Special Attacks Shatter Psyche, Refract Self

Shattered Reflection (Su) (30-ft. Aura, DC 15 Will)

Creatures within 30 feet of the Mirror Spirit must make a DC 15 Will save or become Confused for 1d4 rounds as they briefly see shattered versions of themselves moving differently in reflections.

Fractured Touch (Su)

A Fragmented Mirror Spirit's touch deals 2d6 force damage and drains 1d4 Charisma as a creature’s reflection splinters into broken, distorted versions of itself. If a creature reaches 0 Charisma, their reflection replaces them, turning them into a Reflection Husk (see below).

Splintered Scream (Su) (Recharge 1d4 rounds)

As a standard action, the Mirror Spirit emits a horrific shattering wail, unleashing a 15-foot cone of sonic damage (3d6, Fort DC 15 for half damage).

• Creatures carrying mirrors or polished metal objects take a -2 penalty on the save as the scream resonates through the reflections.

Shatter Psyche (Su) (1/day, DC 16 Will)

The Mirror Spirit targets a single creature within 30 feet, forcing them to confront their most broken, distorted self.

• DC 16 Will save or take 1d6 Wisdom damage and be Shaken for 1 minute.

• If the target fails the save by 5 or more, they are Frightened for 1d4 rounds instead.

Refract Self (Su) (1/day)

As a move action, the Mirror Spirit splits into two identical copies for 1d4 rounds.

• These duplicates share HP but act as separate creatures (identical stats, but only one can use Splintered Scream).

• When the effect ends, the original reabsorbs the copy unless it was destroyed.

Statistics

Str —, Dex 18, Con —, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 17
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Weapon Focus (Touch), Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative
Skills Perception +10, Stealth +12, Fly +10, Knowledge (Arcana) +9
Languages Aklo, Common

Special Weakness: Vulnerable to Shattered Mirrors

• If a mirror is broken within 10 feet of the spirit, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or take 3d6 force damage and be staggered for 1 round.

• A creature wielding a mirror can attempt to reflect its attacks back at it. As a standard action, they may make a DC 15 Bluff check to “trick” the spirit into attacking its own reflection. If successful, the Mirror Spirit must make a DC 16 Will save or suffer half of its next attack's damage itself.

Reflection Husk (New Undead Type!)

When a creature’s Charisma is drained to 0 by a Mirror Spirit, their body becomes a cold, silent copy—a Reflection Husk.

• Husk retains the memories and skills of the original but loses all free will, acting as a puppet of the Mirror Spirit.

• A Remove Curse (DC 18) or Greater Restoration is required to restore their lost essence.

Tactics

• Before Combat: A Mirror Spirit lurks inside reflective surfaces, emerging only when a creature gazes at their own reflection.

• During Combat: Uses Shattered Reflection aura to disorient enemies, then drains Charisma with Fractured Touch.

• Morale: If reduced to 10 HP, it attempts to Refract Self and flee through any reflective surface.

Lair Effects (If Near a Mirror Portal or Rennigar’s Sanctum)

• Reflections Move Wrong: All mirrors show distorted or delayed versions of reality.

• Splintering Reality: 5% chance per round that a creature’s reflection detaches and becomes hostile (functions as a weaker version of the Mirror Spirit).

• Fragments of Thought: Any Knowledge check made while in a room with multiple mirrors has a +2 bonus, but the character hears whispered echoes of themselves from another reality.

Treasure & Loot

• Mirror Splinter (50 gp each) – Small shards of enchanted reflective glass, usable for Scrying-focused spells.

• Shattered Eye Pendant (350 gp) – Grants a +2 bonus vs. Illusions, but causes the wearer’s reflection to blink at random intervals.

• Glimmering Dust (Collected from destroyed Mirror Spirits) – Can be combined with rare candles to enhance Mirror Dimension travel.

🕯️🕯️🕯️The Three-Candle Mirror Ritual

Lighting three specific candles in front of a mirror allows entry into a Mirror-Dimension. Each combination leads somewhere different:

1. Beeswax + Morgue Wax + Drowned Ember

   • Leads to the Mirror-Vault of Lost Names—a realm where every person who ever owned the cursed ring is still alive but doesn’t recognize their own name.

2. Void-Silk + Myrrh & Salt + Blackened Amber

   • Leads to The Shattered Reflection, a ruined copy of the tower where Rennigar is still human, but utterly mad.

3. Troll-Fat + Underdark Glowwax + Myrrh & Salt

   • Leads to Vaeltharn’s Planar Scar, where his final experiment still echoes in frozen time.

The Souls Trapped in the Cursed Ring

• Those who die while wearing the ring become trapped within it, forever unable to pass on.

• They can be seen in any mirror if the ring is placed near one—but only by the ring’s wearer.

• The souls cannot speak directly, but they gesture, scream silently, or write messages in fogged glass.

Who’s Trapped Inside?

1. Apprentice Lastrid Velm (The Paranoid One)

• His half-decayed reflection paces constantly, gnawing at spectral fingernails.

• Gestures:

  • Writes "THEY’RE STILL HERE" in fogged glass.

  • Points frantically at something behind the viewer if hidden or invisible creatures are nearby.

2. Mistress Valthra the Bleeding

• A noblewoman who once stole the ring, thinking it was a treasure.

• Her reflection is drenched in spectral blood, dripping from her eyes and mouth.

• Gestures:

  • Slowly shakes her head.

  • Presses her hands against the glass as if trying to push through.

3. Old Man Remnik (The Storyteller)

• The only one who seems somewhat at peace—a bearded elder with kind eyes.

• Gestures:

  • Holds up three fingers (for the three candles).

  • Mimics blowing them out, then covering his mouth in horror.

  • When ignored, his face distorts into something monstrous.

What Happens If You Shatter a Mirror While Seeing Them?

• The souls inside the ring scream silently as the shards hit the ground.

• The ring grows colder, and for the next hour, the wearer sees glimpses of another place—a black void filled with moving shapes.

• If all three candles are lit and a mirror is broken simultaneously, one trapped soul may be freed… but another entity may take their place.

📜 Notes on Vaeltharn’s Tower

• The Map in the Library mentions that rare candle components can be found in Vaeltharn’s tower.

• The last scribbled note in the hidden reading chamber reads:

  • "Vaeltharn’s tower still breathes. The rift is NOT closed. Some secrets should stay buried."

The Ruined Tower of Rennigar’s Old Rival

• The ruined tower belongs to Magister Vaeltharn, once Rennigar’s bitter rival when they were both apprentices under the same master.

Who Was Vaeltharn?

• Vaeltharn was an experimental summoner, obsessed with binding extraplanar creatures. He and Rennigar competed ruthlessly for their master’s favor, but their philosophical approaches diverged drastically:

  • Rennigar pursued planar reflections (mirrors & water portals).

  • Vaeltharn sought to fuse creatures from multiple planes into one being.

• When their master disappeared, Rennigar claimed the Sunken Spire, while Vaeltharn built his own tower in defiance.

Why is Vaeltharn’s Tower in Ruins?

• Vaeltharn’s final experiment failed catastrophically.

  • He attempted to bind a celestial and a fiend into the same mortal body, hoping to harness both divine and infernal magic at once.

  • The ritual collapsed in on itself, unleashing an unstable planar rift that imploded his tower.

  • Vaeltharn himself was never found—only half his skull and one hand remained.

What Remains in Vaeltharn’s Tower?

• The ruins are a planar anomaly, with sections of reality folding over themselves.

• Echoes of the failed fusion ritual still haunt the ruins, manifesting as half-formed beings with conflicting natures.

• In the deepest chamber, a still-active planar tear whispers Vaeltharn’s last words.