This adventure is designed for a party of four, 3rd-level D&D 5th edition characters. It is designed to make the PCs believe they are going to face a medusa, when in reality their enemy is a Lamia.

The island of Mekallos is a paradise filled with white sand beaches, rolling hills of soft grass, and an ocean so blue and calm that it blends into the sky. The tranquil peace of the island has been shattered lately last year when children started to go missing in the middle of the night, only to be found a week later transformed into marble statues. The villagers suspect a medusa and point the PCs towards the Palace of Gorgos on the islands northern.

The disappearances have actually been perpetrated by Tyana, a Lamia that has been using the town as a food supply.

The Palace of Gorgos

The palace was abandoned by its original constructors two decades ago when the islands marble quarry started to run dry. Today, Tyana and her disciples use it as a base of operations.

Aspects of the Palace
Area 6 sits over a 70-foot drop into the quarry below. Since the cliff that the palace is on wraps around its sides, a DC 17 Dexterity (acrobatics) or Strength (athletics) check are required to reach it without a source of flight or magical climbing abilties.
Walls. All walls are made from stone and covered in frescos depicting the sea. The walls have 12 AC, 75 HP, and a damage threshold of 10.
Doors. All doors are made of wood and platted with bronze. They have 13 AC and 24 HP.
Light. No residents of the palace require light and thus no sources are maintained. This means that all areas are in dim light during the day or darkness at night.
Smell. The scent of mint and sage from the garden permeates every room.
Creatures. Disciples in this dungeon have daily chores and move around alot. Senior Disciples use the Cult Fanatic stat block. Junior disciples use the Cultist stat block. It is up to the DM to decide who has which duties each day.

	1-2 players	3-5 players	6+ players
Easy	2 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic	4 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic	5 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic
Normal	3 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic	6 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic	2 Cultists and 4 Cult Fanatics
Hard	5 Cultists and 1 Cult Fanatic	2 Cultists and 4 Cult Fanatics	6 Cult Fanatics

All disciples are blind but possess blindsight with a range of 15 feet. They lose their blindsight if they cannot hear.
These disciples have been placed under a geas by her magics, forcing them to pledge loyalty to her with the threat of death if she is betrayed. As an extra precaution, she has permanently charmed senior disciples.

Dawn. For the first hour of dawn three disciples are caring for the garden outside the palace while any others are preparing food for themselves and their captives in area 4.
Day. The disciples are split between those that are mending their clothing or cleaning the floor in area 1 and those playing a game of chess in area 2.
Evening. The disciples all cook and eat dinner in area 4 over the hour before sunset. Just before they eat, two disciples will escort a captive from area 3 to area 6 for Tyana to eat.
Night. In two hour shifts a single disciple chants a prayer to Tyana in area 1. This chant does not end until dawn. Any disciples not chanting will be sleeping in area 2.

Outside the palace.
“At the cliffs precipice stands a regal palace of blue veined marble. At its front, an aromatic garden of purple mint and sage give the building a strangely sweet scent. At the back, a long drop leads down into a seemingly abandoned quarry. Parts of the structure seemingly float midair over the ledge. A grand front entrance invites you to enter.”
The disciples maintain the garden for one hour daily at dawn, using bonemeal made from Tyana’s victims as fetiliser. If the PCs investigate the garden a DC 12 Intelligence (nature) check will recognise this.
If the PCs look around the outside of the house, a DC 13 Intelligence (investigation) or Wisdom (perception) check will notice the side entrance into Area 2, which has been painted to blend with the outside wall.

1. Entrance Hall.
“The white floor of this hall sparkles softly in the light. Four marble pillars hold up a domed ceiling, the top of which has been removed to form an open air, eye-like roof. Around the room a dozen life-like statues of various humanoids have been placed, each capturing a moment of utter fear in the subjects faces.”

Trap. A 20-foot-deep, 10 foot-wide pit sits directly inside of the front entrance. While the front entrance is open an illusory image of the floor will appear and cover the pit. A DC 16 Intelligence (investigation) check will notice that the floor is inconsistent while a DC 16 Wisdom (perception) check will hear the sound of hissing snakes coming from that spot.
If someone steps into the pit a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw will allow them to catch themselves and avoid falling, otherwise they take 7 (2d6) damage from the fall. At the bottom of the pit is a swarm of poisonous snakes which deal 5 (2d4) damage to any creature that starts its turn at the bottom of the pit. A DC 11 Dexterity (acrobatics) or Strength (athletics) check will allow a creature to climb out of the pit.

If the PC’s inspect the statues a DC 17 Intelligence (history) check will notice small inconsistencies in the design caused by sculpting tools.

2. Disciples Chamber.

“A ramshackle collection of bunks have been setup along the edges of this room. At the center sits a long table with cutlery and a chessboard.”
Treasure. The cutlery is made from tarnished silver and can be sold for 9gp. Each disciple keeps a spare dagger under their pillow.

3. Larder.

“A group of children cower underneath a spice filled shelf in the corner of this walk in cupboard.”

A total of five children, each equivalent to 10 year olds for their respective races, are stored here in preparation for Tyana’s dinner. Shyleia, a halfling and oldest of the children, is intelligent and able to safely lead the other children home if there are no disciples in the way.

Treasure. Amongst the jars of spice stored in this larder is a stick of cinnamon. This stick is worth 5gp.

4. Kitchen

“An impressive stone firepit sits at the center of this cloth-roofed room. Implements for cooking and cleaning hang along the walls.”

If the firepit is investigated the PCs will find that a series of water boilers and pipes have been placed underneath it. These water boilers are designed in such a way where they are able to move boiling water into the floor of each room in the palace and heat it. The entrace hall heater isn’t working and if inspected the PCs will find a bundle of stolen gems have blocked the pipes, stored there by a less than loyal disciple. The bundle contains one silver feather and two red gems. The feather is a ring of feather falling and the red gems are rubies worth 40gp each.

5. Tyana’s Chamber.

“What would be a luxuriously comfortable room filled with cushions and animal skin blankets is ruined by streaks of dried blood that stain the finery. A bowl of eyeballs is placed on a makeshift alter of marble in an alcove to the south.”

Creatures. A will-o-wisp named Baron Dazzleburn is hiding under the cushions. Dazzleburn offered its services to Tyana willingly but the lamia was suspious and cursed him to stay trapped in this room as a playtoy which she hunts like a cat. If approached peacefully, Dazzleburn will tell the PCs who Tyana is, where she can be found, and the location of any treasure in this room. If attacked Dazzleburn has no choice but to fight to the death.

Treasure. If the bowl of eyeballs is inspected, a DC 13 Intelligence (investigation) check will notice a pink gem amongst them. This gem is actually an Ioun Stone of Fortitude that can only be attuned to a good aligned creature. Tyana keeps it in the bowl hoping to taint it for her own use.

6. Porch.

“A short walkway through vibrant blue clothe obscures this large, unrailed porch. A bed sized cushion has been placed at its center with a platter covered in half eaten fruits, meats, and cheeses sitting to its side. Several half finished statues of humainds encircle the cushion creating a bizzare audience to your approach.”

Creatures. Tyana the lamia spends most of her day here sunbathing and sculpting statues of her victims out of marble. The porch overlooks the old marble quarry.

Before Combat. If the PCs fought Dazzleburn in area 5 Tyana will use her disguise self spell to appear as a medusa. Once Tyana is aware of the PCs she will subtly use her major image spell to extend the width of her porch as she distracts the PCs with conversation. A DC 13 Intelligence (arcana) check will recognise her ploy.

Tactics. In a fight, Tyana’s first target is anyone she thinks can resist her charm person spell. She tries to push any creature that doesn’t appear to be humanoid off the porch which will deal 24 (7d6) damage as they fall into the quarry. She uses her intoxicating touch and charm person abilities to neutralise the rest, hoping to turn them into new disciples.
If reduced to 10 or fewer hit points she surrenders, hoping they will arrest her so that she can escape later.

Treasure. Tyana is using an immovable rod to hold up the porch. It is hidden beneath her cushion and can be found with a DC 13 Wisdom (perception) check. A DC 12 Intelligence (history) check will realise that removing the rod will cause the entire porch to fall into the quarry.

Conclusion. With the children saved and Tyana stopped the townsfolk will be thankful and reward the PCs with 24gp and free board in their homes. If Tyana is handed to the authorities she will try using her magic to escape and seek revenge against the PCs.