This page is a part (Dungeons of Elemental Evil #212) of a playthrough that spanned the year of 2003. All the information was taken from TSR’s original AD&D adventure, the Temple of Elemental Evil.
For the DM: If anyone enters by either pair of bronze doors, a permanent unseen servant slams them shut behind the visitors.
For the players: There can be no doubt that this huge hall of red granite, lit by scores of flambeaux and pervaded by the odor of heated metal and sulfur, is the Fire Temple. The great doors of beaten brass reflect the leaping flames. Tapestries adorn the walls of the north (wider) section, depicting scenes of fire in evil form. Despite the many torches and flaming cressets, the air seems to carry motes of rust-colored luminescence, and the streaks of blue and mica flakes in the polished granite walls appear to leap and dance as if flames, caught within the rock.
A brass tube, 20′ long and 2′ in diameter, is suspended from the ceiling by chains of the same metal. Just to the north of it is a shallow fire pit; and to either side of the tube are low stands of brass, upon which are many small blocks of charcoal. To either hand, east and west beyond lines of pillars, are great copper cauldrons, flanking the main area of the Temple. Before each such vessel is an octagonal brass table; on each table are 16 bowls and a copper dipper.
For the DM: Continue if the southern (main) Temple is entered.
For the players: A glance into the huge pots finds them filled with some sort of glowing amber liquid. At the south end of the Temple stands a translucent block of golden apatite, three feet wide and high and nine feet long. Skulls grin from its sides, their forms inlaid with hammered gold. Atop the altar is the eight-pointed fire symbol (illustrated in area 205), set in wrought gold. Before this altar is a fire pit of diamond shape, ten feet long north-south and eight feet broad. It appears to be several feet deep, and its bottom is covered with glowing hot coals. Tiny forms seem to cavort atop these coals — perhaps small denizens of the Elemental Plane of Fire.
For the DM: If a block of charcoal incense is placed in the fire pit, it instantly bursts aflame, and the tube — a great bell — sounds loudly, calling the priests and indicating that faithful worshippers wish to sacrifice to the Elemental Evil of Fire…. The priests in area 205 certainly respond to the noise, if still alive.
Six skulls adorn the apatite altar at the south; each weighs 100 gp. The wrought gold design on the altar can be pried off weight 500 gp).
Anyone entering the deep fire pit by the altar takes 4-24 points of fire damage each round (minimum 1-6 for even a touch) unless magically protected; no saving throw applies. With magical protection, the intruder takes no damage the first round, and only 1-6 points per round thereafter again, however, with no saving throw). Items placed within the fire must be saved for each round, and vs. fireball rather than normal fire (due to the intensity of the heat). When anything or anyone enters the fire pit, the salamanders (see below) start to grow.
The amber liquid in the great copper cauldrons is fine scented oil with continual light in each. Approved supplicants are to fill a bowl to pour upon the altar. If any material other than copper touches the oil, a salamander appears in the cauldron, igniting the oil and causing a wave of heat that inflicts 2- 12 points of fire damage on each victim within five feet; the salamander then attacks the defiler of the “unholy oil.”
If the altar is touched prior to pouring the golden oil upon it, a sheet of flame expands out 5 feet from the altar in all directions, inflicting 10 points of fire damage to each victim (no saving throw). This causes a magic mouth on the central skull to bellow WHO DARES DEFILE THE SACRED ELEMENTAL FIRE?!” and the noise attracts clerics and guards nearby (if any).
If oil is poured upon the altar, a magic mouth on the central skull speaks in common, commanding that the faithful now offer major sacrifice. At this, the flames of the fire pit leap higher, each appearing as a miniature salamander. Visitors must now either depart or make a sacrifice, placing a valuable treasure (worth 500 gp or more) or living creature in the fire pit, and leaving it there until destroyed. Failure to sacrifice causes salamanders — 16 of them! — to grow to full size in four rounds. However, only four salamanders are real; the others are mirror images.
Salamanders (4): AC 5/3, MV 9″, HD 7 + 7, hp 44, 41, 40, 37, #AT 2,
D 1-6/2-12 (spear and constriction), SA 1-6 heat damage added to each attack,
SD + 1 or better weapon to hit; XP 1265, 1235, 1225, 1195
The salamanders cannot move or attack until they reach full size, but thereafter can even leave the fire pit to take appropriate actions. Each has a spear of red-hot bronze.
The fire in the fire pit is magical and of evil nature. Water only causes steam and vapor to arise from the coals, effectively causing a wall of fog filling the south Temple area and lasting one round per gallon of water applied. Holy water quenches one cubic foot of burning coals per vial, but unless all the coals are so quenched, the dead portion flames again one turn later. A pyrotechnics spell may be applied with effect, using up the coals in producing the effect, but the coals gain a saving throw of 20 minus the level of the caster; for example, a roll of 16 or better would resist such an effect from a 5th level caster. If the saving throw is successful, the spell has no effect. Affect normal fires likewise has no effect if used to reduce the flames, but if used to enlarge the fire, the coals burn brightly for four rounds and then become absolutely cool for another four, after which they burst into glowing heat once again.
Beneath the glowing coals of the fire pit is a locked iron box; however, it cannot be found until after 5-8 rounds of searching, detect magic or other magical aid notwithstanding. The box is trapped with a scythe blade; when any item is lifted from the bottom of the box, the razor-sharp blade neatly cuts through anything (no saving throw). Any item struck is ruined; a hand thus removed may only be replaced by application of a regenerate spell. In the box are two potions of fire resistance, a ring of fire resistance, and a longsword that does not glow. The latter is, however, a frost brand + 3/ + 6 vs. Fire creatures. It is Lawful Good (Int 16, Ego 17) and speaks common, fire giant, red dragon, and salamander; its primary powers are detect evil, detect magic, detect shifting walls and rooms, and it has an extraordinary power of levitation.
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