Hallo Halatali: An adventure for Level 5 PCs

Lore

Originally a holy place for the first Lalafell arrived in Eorzea, the twisting labyrinth of natural caverns which wind through this massive mesa was transformed by the Gladiators' Guild into a series of training pits, animal pens, and holding cells to accommodate the ever-growing popularity of Ul'dah's Coliseum. After the Calamity, however, the location was abandoned─those remaining in the pens, left for dead. Not all of them, however, met that fate, and now the tunnels are rife with those who survived...as well as the tormented spirits of those who did not. The name comes from an ancient tongue, Halatali meaning “the land of many shadows."

The Calamity laid ruin to it, though, as it did to most things. Five years later, in a bid to resume operations, a team of builders were sent in to survey the premises. But instead of carcasses littering the floors, the found feral beasts prowling the halls, grown unnaturally strong and savage through a ruthless struggle for survival. Thus Nedrick Ironheart was contacted to find adventurers willing to clear the halls of Halatali so that renovations and training may begin again.

Rewards for taking on this quest.

The guild is willing to pay 1,300 gil (gold) for clearing out the grounds, two vials of Oil of Etherealness plus whatever the adventurers manage to find in Halatali that were left behind.

Traveling to Halatali

The players will travel through Central Thanalan, or teleport to Black Brush Station in Central Thanalan. From there they can travel to Eastern Thanalan. If players have not attuned to the Aetheryte in Camp Drybone, they are free to do so, though the Aetheryte is 5 hours out of the way on the way to Halatali. Halatali is a system of natural caves that have been modified with traps, cells, and reinforcement to the already existing tunnel systems.
Credit: Vanity Ruins

The Red Wing

(the furthest area to the left of the map) The entrance is a short 15 foot hallway that opens onto a raised platform over the Red Wing, which is essentially a still life of the gladiators that once trained here. There are torches all throughout the grounds providing bright light, revealing Armour racks, training dummies and weapons that lie discarded where they must have fell during the onset of the calamity. It seems likely that this was used to prepare Gladiators for the melees that took place below, and was a place for spectators to stand. Over the top of the large battlefield below hang a number of iron cages, clearly once used to drop hazards in amongst the fighters. . Two helmless armors bearing greatswords stand motionless on either side of the door, with an Eorzean Imp hiding inside each one. The armors remain still until a player walks to close to them. Once this happens, they will reveal themselves as Helmed Horrors (MM pg 183), glamored to look like ordinary standing suits of armor and attack while the imp slings ice spells from inside the armor. Helmed Horrors are immune to the spells Aganazzar's Scorcher, Burning Hands and Moonbeam,

In case those of you who have not seen my previous advnures, here's a reminder for Eorzean Imps:

Variant: Eorzean Imps

While similar to standard imps in the Monster Manual, Eorzean Imps are attuned to ice aether, and thus have a couple small differences.

Damage Resistances The Imp loses it's cold resistance, and instead becomes resistant to fire in addition to it's other resistances.

Damage Immunity The imp loses it's fire immunity, and instead becomes immune to cold damage, in addition to it's immunity to Poison

Innate Spellcasting The Imp's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell Save DC 13, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: Frostbite, Ray of Frost
1/day: Armor of Agathys

This encounter should prove to be a minimal threat to a party of level 5 adventurers, though. Heading down the stairs are two more pairs of Helmed Horrors are waiting for the party in the north and south portions of the room to draw near, while imps hide among the stalactites on the ceiling. The imps, if ignored will start shouting taunts and insults from the party while in hiding, challenging them to find them. There two 10 foot double doors leading out of the room to the slight northwest and southwest of the room. The western door is magically locked and cannot open, unless players solve the bonfire puzzle in The Hall of the Cesti.

The southern doors lay ajar, leading down to a circular room 55 feet across, with small 10 foot rooms holding rooms that were once used as cages for various beasts and monsters to pit the gladiators against. Now the cage doors are rusted, and the rooms hold broken equipment. a Grenade each feasts on the lit torches in all but the southesternmost small room.

A suit of armor that was once animated lies in a heap on the ground in the center of the chamber. It has been placed here as bait by the imps for adventurers paranoid enough from previous animated armor encounters to check the remains. The moment any adventurers reach the very center of the room, the imps that are hiding (DC 15 perception or investigation check to find) in the southernmost room will pull the lever located in there: A large sized spiked iron ball attached to a chain desgned to fall then raise back up from by use of a winch in the northermost small room. This takes a DC 15 perception check to notice the trap. A DC 17 investigation check notices the connection between the levers and the hanging ball. If any paranoid adventurers attempt to investigate the armor, the imps will pull the lever and drop the ball from the ceiling. Any of the adventurers standing in a 20 foot circle dirctly below the ball must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or take 4d10 bludgeoning damage or fall prone and be restrained, or take half as much and not be restrained. A DC 18 Strength check is required to move the ball and be freed. At the moment the ball drops the bombs are alerted to the loud noise and attack, alongside the imps. After clearing the room, a DC 20 investigation check can gather up enough materials for a Dungeoneer's pack. A short flight of stairs leads up to The Hall of the Cesti.

Hall of the Cesti

This area was once used as a training ground for training in unarmed combat. It is now occupied by a magical bonfire in the center of the room. The bonfire senses when 3 or more creatures enter the room. It magicallyThe Elemental attacks when it senses creatures entering the room. The bonfire is made to sense when humanoids enter the room, and magically lights 3 braziers with purple flame powered by void magicks in small alcoves. They cannot be put out through normal means. Every round, 1d4 - 1 Will-O'-Wisps (MM pg 301) are summoned within the 3 alcoves, divided between the three. The bonfire is magically linked to the three braziers by way of 3 different magic runes on the ground surrounding the fire. A corresponding rune is visible on the braziers. Should two creatures touch the twinned runes at the same time, the braziers fire goes out and into the bonfire, and the Will-O'-Wisp summoning decreases -1 per brazier that's put out in this way until all three braziers fade. Once this happens, the bonfire turns purple and stops giving off uncomfortable heat. The bonfire gives off an Enchantment aura. Any creature that takes a short rest near this flame instead benefits from a full rest instead. Once the runes are matched, the magically sealed door in The Red Wing is dispelled leaving the party free to proceed beyond.

The Green Wing

This section of Halatali seemed to be used as a gauntlet-stlye challenge for potential gladiators. The Green Wing is similar to the previous ring with a few marked differences. The first is the sickly green hue that swathes the entire place, the second is the much less maintained status of the wing,

appearing more cave than tunnel, the third is the unhealthy looking abyss of green miasma that lurks beneath the walkways and finally the system of 5 winches that you are required to pull in order to proceed (the 5 winches' locations are marked in black circles in the following image).

If a winch is pulled, metallic sounds echoes throughout the corrider. More spiked balls and chains hang from the ceiling, but their triggering mechanisms are in need of repair before they can crush any hapless adventurers. The green miasma activates when the seal barring entry to the Green Wing is lifted, designed to give fighters vertigo as they make their way through the wing, lightly obscuring the area. Creatures that breath in the miasma must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 10 minutes. Creatures poisoned in this way may also have difficulty using the dash action, climbing, or casting any spells other than cantrips. If they attempt to do so, they must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or fall prone. Creatures that succeed on their saving throws are immune to the effects for 10 minutes. The creatures that reside in this wing were bred to be resistant to the poison gas and have advantage on saving throws related to this gas. Continued exposure to the gas increases the Saving throw DC by 1, whether a creature has succeeded it's saving throw or not. There are two types of enemies fought here: Giant Praying Mantises and Constrictor Snakes (MM PG 320 .

2 Giant Praying Mantises await above and on the walls overhead and two more mantises rest across the bridge, but are eating a freshly klled constricter snake. As the players enter, the two mantises near the entrance attack, preferring to ambush one prey each and drag them away to be eaten. Due to their Ambusher trait, they have advatage on their stealth checks for this encounter. Every round of combat, make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check for the mantises across the bridge. If they detect the sounds of combat, they will join the fray, rolling their own initiative. Between this, and the toxic gas, this should prove a difficult encounter.

In this portion of the wing, there are two winches to pull. All winches have a 50% chance of being trapped with a Level 4 Glyph of Warding Spell (min 1) set to trigger if the winch is pulled. The Glyph triggers an explosive rune of either fire or lightning damage (DM's choice). A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check is required to notice the glyph. A Constrictor Snake rests coiled on the second winch's chain in this area. It attacks if whatever it would consider prey draws near. A secret compartment on each winch in the dungeon requiring a DC 16 Intelligence (investigation) check to find. Each secret compartment holds 50 gold pieces,a blue vial with a syringe, and has a 25% chance of holding a magic item from the table below. If you feel like rewarding your players and haven't rolled within the percentile range, roll on the magic item table for the last compartment.

Magic Item Treasure Table

1D8	Magic Item
1-2	Bag of Holding containing 50 gold
3	Potion of Greater Healing
4	Potion of Lightning Resistance
5	Alchemy Jug
6	2d10 +1 ammunitions (DM's choice)
7	Oil of Slipperiness
8	Cloak of the Manta Ray

Identifying the blue vial with the syringe reveals it as both an antidote and antitoxin to the vertigo gas. Meanwhile a DC 14 intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the trap as a Glyph of Warding spell that can easily be ended by triggering or dispelling the glyph.

From the bridge, players can see the the layout of Wing, with a narrow corrider leading off to the west, while leaving the northern segment of the wing mostly visible to the eye. There is a short corrider in the north eastern corner of the wing that leads to a dead Constrictor Snake wrapped around the body of a corpse of Ul'Dahn Gladitorial appearance (DC 13 History check reveals that gladiators wore very little in combat to show off their bodies to the audience and to potential sponsors.) Below the bridge it appears a Constrictor Snake won a fight with one of the mantises, and is currently attempting to devour it.

There is a corridor leading south directly below the bridge. It is here that players find an open space with a natural stone ramp leading up to two pathways to the west and south. The southernmost is a set of huge and locked double iron doors leading to the yellow wing. The lock is rather complex requiring a DC 25 Dexterity check to pick. The western passageway is barred by 3 decorated vertical iron blades. When all 5 winches are pulled, the blades retract into the ground, opening the way. A DC 14 Perception or Investigation check notices that there are 5 visible locks on the inverted portcullis and if any players have pulled the winches, the appropriate number of locks are open. If players decide to force open the portcullis, a DC 23 Strength check is required to force it up, adding + 1 for every winch that was't pulled. This portculis leads to the Hall of the Secutoris. The key to the Iron Doors are located on a keyhook in the Hall of the Secutores.

Hall of the Secutores

Thankfully, the gas disperses in this room, so this area is relatiely vertigo gas free. The Hall of the Secutores is unusually open to the air, though it is difficult to tell if this is natural or intentional. The initial entry opens onto a raised platform that slopes into a pit flooded with knee length water thanks to the rainwater that drips from the hole in the roof. A few large cages hang from the roof, their doors broken and rusted. with This area appeared to be where sword-and-shield gladiators trained due to the evidence of such weapons lying around, abandoned. It is here that a Guivre,a member of the biast drake family of dragons in Eorzea, resides, having broken free of it's cage above. Being overcharged with lightning aether in the area has made the drake stronger than

most of it's kind,causing it to grow to larger than normal size, and granting it the ability to warp the ambient lightning aether of the hall.

Lair Actions
Being infused with so much lightning aether has allowed this particular guivre to warp the lightning aether around it to it's favor, allowing it to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Guivre takes a lair action to cause one of the effects described below. The guivre can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

The Guivre summons 1d4 lightning elemental sprites. They appear in an unnocupied space within 60 feet of the guivre, and acts as an ally to the guivre. They remain after 10 minutes, or until it or the guivre dies.
Creatures in the water within 60 feet of the guivre have vulnerability to lightning damage until initiative count 20 on the next round.
The water in the guivre’s lair becomes electrically charged. All creatures within 120 feet of the guivre that are standing in the water must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The key to the iron doors leading to the yellow wing hangs snugly on a hook on the wall next to the doorway inside the Hall of the Secutores. Nothing else of value is in the room.

The Yellow Wing

The final wing of Halatali is also its smallest; it seems to have been an area devoted solely to a single fighting pit of no special significance. It does have a large cage like the one used to contain the Guivre atop it, but the foe that was contained within is much less dangerous than the guivre.

A pair of Axe Beaks are startled by the sudden opening of the doors and run further into the wing, preferring to avoid combat if possible. Following the beasts lead up an incline of the corrider into a broader room. It is here that players spot the Dire Peiste that resides sleeping on a nest of mixed beastial and humanoid bones. The axebeaks tend to try to avoid the peiste when possible, but being trapped with it has windled the flock's numbers from a couple dozen down to four, and will attack if cornered. Sticking out of the side of the peiste's flank is the handle of a blade from a long dead adventurer's dagger. Retrieving the blade and identifying it reveals as a +2 Dagger. 3 grenades flit about, but are easily avoided as the grenades keep to the edges of the arena, here. If the axebeaks run to close to the peiste, it wakes up and attacks the birds. If it does not see the adventurers, it returns to it's nest to eat it's meal. There is a pair of huge iron doors on the western portion of the wing. These doors are unlocked and lead to the Hall of the Bestiarii.

Hall of the Bestiarii

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Halatali has a coliseum of its own. The Hall of the Bestiarii is an arena complete with raised seating for a number of observers and even a viewers box. This box, hidden behind a well lit window, likely played host to high ranking members of the Gladiators and Pugilists Guilds as well as their guests, perhaps including honoured combatants, members of the Syndicate and maybe even the

royal family. It is here that the master of the Imps, Tangata the Voidsent Ogre makes it's domain, broken from it's shackles during the calamity.

While the sultanate ordinarily prohibits the commercial use of voidsent, a generous donation made to the Order of Nald'thal secured an exception for this ogre, which was put to fighting in the Coliseum. It must be noted, however, that the specimen was captured in it's natural habitat in Coerthas and not summoned via forbidden magicks.

Being left to his own devices has left Tangata as the ruler of the lesser voidsent that reside in Halatali. Tangata belongs to the Hapalit taxonomy of ogres, aspected to fire aether, and more powerful than base ogres. 2 Will-O'-Wisps follow the ogre around, eager to feast on the aether of the living. With Tangata slain, the biggest threat in Halatali will be dealt with, and renovations can resume on the training grounds.

Bestiary

Giant Praying Mantis

Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 15

Hit Points 55(10d8 + 10)

Speed 30ft., climb 30 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 11 (+0) 3 (-4)

Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14

Languages --

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Ambusher. The mantis has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Keen Sight. The mantis has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Spider Climb. The mantis can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Surprise Attack. If the mantis surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.

Actions

Multiattack. The mantis makes two melee attacks

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature grappled by the mantis. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the mantis can't uses its claws against another target.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)	2 (-4)	11 (+0)	3 (-4)

Mantis

As mantis sightings in Eorzea coincide with the time period in which Lalafellin settlers from the south arrived in Vylbrand, it has been concluded that the giant insectivorous vilekin

(also found in abundance in the Lalafell's homelands) were unintentionally brought over by the Plainsfolk -eggsacs most likely attached to the reeds from which the clan wove its sea ships.

Grenade

Small elemental (Voidsent), neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 37(6d8 + 1)

Speed fly 30 ft. (Hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

11 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Damage Vulnerabilities cold

Damage Immunities fire,

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages --

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Ignited Illumination : As a bonus action, the Grenade can set itself ablaze or extinguish its flames. While ablaze, the grenade sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

Self Destruct When an attack drops a Grenade down to below 5 hit points or lower but not 0, the bomb begins to swell in size. On its next turn, it explodes in a fiery death. All creatures within a 20-foot radius of the Grenade must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity Saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Actions

Bite : Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.

Detonator (Recharge 6) : The Grenade erupts in a 15-foot radius of fire centered on it. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
11 (+0)	13 (+1)	14 (+2)	7 (-2)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)

Bombs

This barely contained sphere of volatile gas and flame occupies the elveventh rung of the voidsent's heirarchy of twelve. Bombs must replenish their internal reserves of fuel in order to survie, and are drawn to consume any source of oil or fat that they encounter, be it plant, animal, or man. Grenades, an even more explosive species of bomb, are a place higher in the hierarch, staning upon the tenth rung.

Guivre Biast

Large dragon, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40)

Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.,

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

20 (+5) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)

Skills Perception +2

Damage Resistances lightning

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages understands draconic, but can't speak

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Actions

Multiattack. The drake makes two attacks: one with it's bite, and one with it's tail

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage + 4 (1d8) lightning damage

Tail Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6) : The drake exhales lightning in a 60-foot line. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	11 (+0)	19 (+4)	4 (-3)	10 (+0)	8 (-1)

Drake

Drakes are vicious and unrelenting hunters, often tracking prey over several miles before roasting their exhausted quarry with a torred breath. The Amalj'aa are known to domesticate drakes for use as mounts and hunting companions, amongst other things. Unlike most drake species, the biast is notable for spitting lightning instead of flame. Drakes that grow exceptionally large are known as Guivres. For more info on drakes, refer to Beast Tribes of Eorzea

Hapalit Ogre

Large fiend (Voidsent), neutral evil

Armor Class 15

Hit Points 114(12d10 + 48)

Speed 30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

21 (+5) 13 (+1) 19 (+4) 5 (-3) 9 (-1) 3 (-3)

Damage Immunities Fire

Senses passive Perception 9

Languages understands abyssal and infernal but cannot speak.

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Charge. If the Hapalit moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Heated Body. A creature that touches the hapalit or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The Hapalit makes two attacks. one with its fist and one gore attack.

Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Firewater. (Recharge 5-6) The Hapalit conjures an orb of fiery oil between it's horns and fires it at a point within 60 feet that it can see. All creatures in a 20 foot radius from that point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save. Creatures in that area are ignited. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the ignited creature takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. On a successful save, creatures take half as much damage and don’t catch fire. Flammable objects that aren't being worn or carried in that area are also ignited.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
21 (+5)	13 (+1)	19 (+4)	5 (-3)	9 (-1)	3 (-3)

Ogre

Though their body and gait are like to a man, nathless ogres are thin of wit, and lack of cunning, and speak no words but gruntings and lowings. Yet, as much as kind taketh from them in wit, it rewardeth them with quantity of body. Wherefore though he be high of body he is weak of virtue, and his heart is tarred with woodness. The ogre found here is known as a hapalit, an ogre aspected to fire aether.

Dire Peiste

Large monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 16)

Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 2 (-4) 8 (-1) 7 (-2)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages ---

Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Cold Gaze : If a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the peiste and the two of them can see each other, the peiste can force the creature to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw if the peiste isn't incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed for one minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Actions

Multiattack The Dire Peiste makes two bite attacks.

Bite : Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)	2 (-4)	8 (-1)	7 (-2)

Peistes never stop growing, and those that live long enough eventually grow into a Dire Peiste, much larger and tougher than the younger members of their species, they are indeed a threat to many fledgling adventurers. Though thankfully, due to their aggressive nature, and their valuable eyes that are used to make jewelry and magical items, few live long enough to grow into a dire peiste.