Night at the Museum

Morgrave University's museum has had the Scroll of Niath, an ancient Xen'drik artifact, on display for the past month. It's been bought by an Aundairian nobleman and is scheduled to ship out of Sharn in a week. The ogre mage Troizig wants the Scroll for Daask and he's recruiting an able, tight-lipped group of adventurers to get it.

Original map by Dyson Logos

1. The Communal Privy

Three pedestals stand against the north wall, each holding a Cleansing Stone. When touched the stones repulse dirt and bodily oils, leaving behind the fresh scent of rain. Each pedestal hides a hidden switch. When all three are pressed in the right order, the secret door to the east that leads to room 2 opens. Against the south wall are six small privies. The privies hover open air, the only solid ground being thousands of feet down into the Bowels of Sharn.

2. Perseus' Rest

Beyond the hidden door lies a barren stone room. On the floor is a giant necromantic symbol with a half-rotten human corpse splayed on top of it. Impaling each hand and foot is an iron dagger engraved with silver necromantic runes. This room is the final resting place of Perseus Kingdazer, the former curator of the museum who was sacrificed to become the museum's new security system. Now he haunts the museum at night as a ghost.

Perseus is what gives the exhibits the means to defend themselves. He can possess the exhibits and animate them to defend against would-be thieves—his favorite being the skeleton of the red dragon wyrmling. Below is a list of exhibits that Perseus can possess.

-The skeleton of the red dragon wyrmling, located at 5.

-The wax statues, located at 4.

-The skeleton of the Sword Titan, located at 6.

-The taxidermy Clawfoots, located at 6.

3. Security Desk

This simple wooden desk houses a small weapon rack, spare lanterns, and extra flasks of oil. During the day it is manned by a young human. At night it is manned by an elderly gnome.

4. Eberron Animated

A large pit dominates this exhibit. The pit is recessed five feet into the ground—with safety railings—and the floor is covered with multi-colored rocks. In three different alcoves to the east stands three different wax statues standing on large pedestals. The wax statues are white and featureless until the exhibit is activated.

To the south is a small stone podium with three stone buttons. Each button is engraved with a gnomish rune and a caption in common. The first caption says, "The Giants of Xen'drik;" the second says, "The Treaty of Thronehold;" and the last says, "The Horrors of the Last War." When a button is pressed the wax statues step off their pedestals and morph into historical figures as the multi-colored stones shape into different terrain, both related the topic associated with the pressed button. The statues will enter the pit and act out a small three minute play, re-enacting historical events.

5. The Dragon Skeleton Display

Hidden behind a large glass pane is a small library. Laying on the pedestal next to a bookstand is the skeleton of a red dragon wyrmling set in a sphinx-pose and reading a book. All of the books, except one, are mockups written in gibberish. The real book is a Manual of Flesh Golems misplaced here from the University's library.

6. Dinosaur Exhibit

This room is dominated by the skeleton of a Sword Titan that stands at the center of the room, below a large sunroof. Surrounding it are scenes of taxidermy Clawfoots chasing tribex across the Talenta Plains.

7. The Hall of Twelve Moons

This circular hallway is 30 feet wide and 120 feet long. There are 12 ten-foot long sections of the wall embedded with large glowing glass orbs. The walls rotate in sync with the 12 moons of Eberron. The hallway is trapped but the trap only activates when the pedestal in room 8 is robbed of its contents. Once that happens, the stairs will seal shut and the wall sections will begin to rotate wildly. On initiative count 20 and 10, a random beam with an effect associated with one of the moons will fire at a random creature. 

8. The Hidden Vault

In the center of this room is a tall pedestal topped with a glass case. The Scroll of Niath is inside that case. Against the other walls are shelves that can house other treasures. The Scroll is made out of brittle looking papyrus, wrapped around a bronze rod, and inscribed with ancient Elven runes. The scroll functions as a Wand of Polymorph; however, the wielder can spend an extra charge to target an extra creature, or it can spend an extra charge to target an object (as True Polymorph).