Chapter 4: Temple of Moloch - Infernal Machine Rebuild

Chapter 4: Temple of Moloch. The Temple of Moloch is an ancient site steeped in magic, and the former home of a legendary artificer. Thessalar was a master alchemist and creator of monsters, whose own blood was said to possess dire magical properties. The artificer's mad plots, thirst for power, and pursuit of lichdom eventually left the temple a ruin long ago. But the characters now find themselves back in that long ago, facing off against the artificer and his host of monstrous guardians in pursuit of the missing components of the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad. Having come back in time, the characters have a unique opportunity to explore a site now lost to memory-and to lay claim to its legendary riches. Background The Temple of Moloch was said to have begun as a series of caverns where the elemental princes Olhydra and Ogrémoch once battled, and in so doing, opened a rift to their respective Elemental Planes. This rift between the Plane of Water and the Plane of Earth resulted in a stream flowing through the caverns, which carries with it gemstones of extreme size and quality-particularly rubies. When ancient peoples came upon these gems, their greed led them to gather as many as possible, and to build a temple at the site to honor Moloch. They built an ornate statue to the exiled archdevil, and set two of the largest ruby gemstones for its eyes. Centuries later, one of the high priests of the temple, an artificer named Thessalar, was so seduced by power and authority that he slew most of his fellow cultists in a bloody ceremony, then took control of the temple for himself. Thessalar repurposed the chambers of the temple for his own experiments, creating numerous monsters that bore his name (including the thessalhydra), as well as unnatural beasts such as the owlbear that would one day spread across the world. Several of the missing components of the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad made their way to the temple through the years. At the time the characters vi...