Hidden Temple of the Purple Master

[rdanhenry]

This was originally my entry for the Dec./Feb. 2021-22 Lite Challenge and the final entry in my map challenge marathon of doing every Guild challenge issued in 2021. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to work on final polishing at the end of the challenge period. At this point, since I'm no longer pressed for time, I will be adding a second map of the surface above the hidden temple (which, I suppose, pedantically should be in Building/Structure Mapping, but it's a package and the dungeon is the main feature).

The challenge was to redo a map from one of two random generators, one of which did dungeons and the other villages. Village maps dominated the challenge, which was pretty popular. I however, went with a dungeon map, this one:

hidden_temple_of_the_purple_master.png

In my initial post, I commented:

The name suggests an unusual color scheme for a dungeon map. While the text incorrectly uses "specie" where "species" is meant, the presence of mushrooms provides an additional basis for elaboration of the dungeon with fungal growths. The layout is sufficiently large and varied to provide adequate scope for a two-month challenge, but not so big as to be daunting. The apes are a reasonable addition, too, as long as one approaches the place with sufficiently pulpish attitude. All in all, it's a pretty cool place to start. In fact, it might even fit into the same world as the "Rivdanalli Port" and "Treehouse Island" challenge maps I did for the first two lite challenges last year. Gonna do some lore!

And, indeed, I have been developing the lore with that world in mind, though things will be described here in general terms, if anyone wants to use this as an adventure scenario in your own game, though the combination of magic and technology may require some heavy tweaking for many systems.

I did get my adaptation to my practical, old-school mapping style completed to my satisfaction. There is some slight tweaking to the original layout, but it is essentially the same map. I have had to interpret some of the symbology of the original that could have been clarified with a general dungeon key for the program output (though the lack of definition leaves more freedom in development, so I don't necessarily consider that a flaw).

hidden_temple_of_the_purple_master.png

This is what I had by the time the challenge ended:

hidden_temple_of_the_purple_master.jpg

[rdanhenry]

General Relevant Lore:

The Hidden Temple of the Purple Master

The Purple Master is the leader of the Cult of Ylendrid the Sleepless, a god represented by an eye or as a great amorphous mass covered with many and varied eyes. Ylendrid is said to watch all points of time and space, ensuring that the universe cannot cease to exist when not observed. The cult is somewhat anarchic and produces disruptions and a moderate amount of property damage, but only rarely commits acts of violence. Its acts of worship are artistic, whether it be graffiti on the walls of a great city, the production of mosaics in obscure locations, interpretive dance, or grand theatrics (this last being the most likely to involve some form of spectacular and dramatically-timed bloodshed). They honor their all-seeing god by providing something worth observing.

The strength of the cult has always been in its own watchfulness. Where the cult grew strong, it had its eyes everywhere. Every cultist was a spy for the cult, gathering information that the leaders put together to form a comprehensive picture of the current situation throughout the civilized lands. Eight to six centuries ago, this was the situation. The cult was strong and readily out-maneuvered its enemies. It was a good time to follow Ylendrid. Then, Barkstraid rose to power.

Barkstraid was a priest of the Sky-Cult of Gavorna. After consolidating power within his own cult, he managed to merge it with several other cults to produce the Church of the High Heavens. As the first Advocate of Heaven, he began to look around for other cults, seeking to assimilate those which were similar to the new Church and to outright replace those that were not. By the time that the threat was recognized, Barkstraid had already uncovered the existence of the Cult of Ylendrid. Once Barkstraid was able to demonstrate that the followers of Ylendrid were turning over all sorts of information to their cult leaders, other religious groups and secular institutions became wary. Enforcement of rules about “defacing” public and private property began to be more vigorously enforced. Slowly, power was pried out of Cult of Ylendrid’s hands.

Four hundred years ago, a Purple Master known as Applex Kov-Stalm established a new primary temple for the cult on Waibul. Waibul was a large island covered in jungle, swamp, and mountain. It was sufficiently obscure to provide some security, but that was not enough for Kov-Stalm. He had the surface level of the temple build on the plan of a Fergillund temple and provided the accouterments and ornamentation of a temple to Skalgar, a common deity in the nearest archipelago. Beneath the earth, the true temple to the Sleepless God was carved out of the island rock. Here, the cult could conduct its business securely. Here, the cult had a last refuge, should the worst come.

The worst did not come, in that while reduced in size and significance, the Cult of Ylendrid was never eliminated. It still gathers information and uses it for its own protection and profit. These days, it sells some of that information on, gaining much-needed resources and forming alliances of convenience. That this had led to the cult mingling more often with individuals who have little interest in art is perhaps to the distaste of some cultists, but it has been necessary. The cult endures.

However, a Purple Master known as Salrit Glass-blower gathered most of her followers from the Waibul temple for a mission to Nalbonna to recruit new members and establish an art school that would double as a cult base. This was successfully concluded, but upon return to the island, they were set upon by pirates and killed. The pirates had come in search of the astral starcap, a mushroom found only on Waibul, which has powerful psychedelic properties and reputedly boosts both artistic inspiration and certain spiritual disciplines. The cult had certainly used them, but now what had been boon became their bane. A few followers who were left at the temple while the Purple Master traveled eventually escaped, but the temple has remained abandoned for a century.

Astral Starcaps can still be found on Waibul, and they are particularly abundant in the underground layers of the temple. Unfortunately for those who might wish to harvest them, the temple itself has been taken over by a tribe of Great Red Apes, who would not tolerate any intruders in the heart of their territory. There are undoubtedly other hazards, though likely other treasures as well.

The Great Red Ape tribe:

The Great Red Ape is omnivorous and highly territorial, regarding any other apes, including humans, intruding on their central territory as a threat to be eliminated. On the fringe of their territory, non-Red Apes will be tolerated if they do not commit any provocative acts, though they may still be “warned” with threat displays that include chest thumping, ground beating, tree shaking, howling, and growling. The Great Red Ape is protected by a thick hide and attacks with powerful arms and a strong bite.

Great Red Apes can use simple weapons and most often will pick up a bone or branch suitable for use as a club. They may also pick up and use simple weapons. While they benefit from an edge, they do not grasp delivering point, so thrusting weapons are of no use to them. While they do not have treasure as such, victims of the tribe may have left valuables behind.

The tribe that lives above the Hidden Temple of the Purple Master is composed of seven regular males, nine somewhat smaller females, an especially large male, and six young apes. While the apes generally prefer to dwell on the surface, if there is a presence which frightens them, the females and young will descend into the Hidden Temple for greater shelter. If faced with foes who are taking advantage of ranged weapons or other forces, such as a ravaging storm, which cannot readily be met with fang and claw, the male apes will also descend, setting ambushes for those who dare further intrude.

While the apes have not located any secret doors, they are otherwise familiar with the temple, though they rarely go deeply into it. While lacking human intelligence, they possess a certain cunning, and they will use the environment to their advantage.

Getting player-characters to go here:

There are many reasons why a group might enter the Hidden Temple. Here are a few ideas for getting started in this locale, some of which require the group to have gained knowledge of the Hidden Temple’s existence, while others do not:

• The group is on the island under other pretexts. A storm is coming, and that old temple is the only hope of shelter.

• A Great Red Ape is being sought as a trophy or a biological specimen, possibly even a live specimen for a menagerie.

• Whether for historical research or as part of an intelligence organization, you are looking to learn more about the Cult of Ylendrid (or doing research on the Cult of Skalgar, with the Hidden Temple as a possible bonus find).

• The group represents a religious institution hostile to the Cult of Ylendrid, come to cleanse the temple of any remaining cult artifacts.

• The group represents the Cult of Ylendrid (possibly by proxy, and possibly unaware of their true patron), looking either to recover cult artifacts or to clear out the compound to allow for reoccupation.

• The group is exploring Waibul and, having found an old temple falling into ruin, will surely want to explore this structure as well.

• The group wishes to harvest arcane starcaps for financial profit. While they are present in various locations around the island, they seem to be increasingly plentiful as one approaches this old temple.

• The group wishes to harvest arcane starcaps for scientific research purposes.

• The group wishes to harvest arcane starcaps for use in a magical or religious procedure.

• The group wishes to harvest arcane starcaps to get stoned out of their minds.

• Rumors of a ruined temple in the jungles of Waibul suggest possible profitable looting of lost temple treasures.

• The group is seeking a safe place to hide from their enemies, and they have learned of a promising location.

• After the group gets free of the wreckage of their dirigible, a half-overgrown temple is the only structure in sight.

• Some enemy/rival headed this way (for any of the above or for other reasons). Did the apes kill them? Did they have a way to get past them, requiring the group to descend into the Hidden Temple?

Of course, motives can be mixed and matched.

[rdanhenry]

In order to have this be a complete scenario, I will need to create the surface "false" temple. And to do that, I need to have some idea of what it will look like. Fortunately, I have already noted down some lore for that!

Skalgar is god of what might be termed "creative destruction" (or "destructive creation"). Skalgar is seen in the volcanic eruption that leaves newly-fertile land (or new land along a coast), the fire the cleans out old growth for new, the storm that carries needed rain (though it give in excess), the wars which unify scattered villages into a people. If Skalgar's worshipers were more advanced, they would see him in surgery, plant grafting, and scientific dissections.

Skalgar is usually portrayed as having the head of a snake, the body of an island panther, great feathered wings, and the tail of a scorpion. While details of worship vary widely, the most common offerings to this fierce-looking deity are fruits and flowers. This is not to say that there are not more bloody rites practiced by more violent followers. These, however, are typically isolated tribes or warlike traditionalists.

Even the more bloody sects decorate their temples with plants and musical devices, with wind chimes and bells being the most common.

The only sign that this might not be a normal temple of Skalgar is that while the main representations of the god match the most common form cited above, a knowledgeable person may identify various less-common forms of Skalgar amid the smaller carvings: a shark-headed man with a barbed spear; a bat-winged, serpent-headed ape; a lizard with the head of an antlered cat, and a fiery frog with hooves and a serpent for a tongue. The followers of Ylendrid could not resist exploring this rich variety of images.

The Fergillund temple plan is a squared "U" shape, with a main statue in the open central area, multiple decorative spires, and housing for priests and temple functionaries taking up the wings. Construction is almost always of stone, though a few wooden examples have been found in regions where Fergill tribes had plentiful timber and lacked decent quarries.

[rdanhenry]

This is the exterior of the surface level, showing the placement of spires on the roof. Since the apes can easily climb up here, it may prove to be a tactically-significant area.

hidden_temple_of_the_purple_master_exterior_surface.png

[rdanhenry]

Here is the floor plan of the surface temple. It is nearly complete. I still need large idols for the main worship hall and the outside (pedestal already shown). Then, I'll need to apply a little damage, as many of the doors will have been destroyed by time and rough-handling by apes and other intruders over the years. And then, I'll need to decide if I want to do a vtt battlemap type for this level.

hidden_temple_of_the_purple_master_surface_level_floorplan.png