Chapter 2: The Lost City - Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Chapter 2: The Lost City. Lost in the desert, the last great remnant of a once-prosperous civilization rises from the dunes. Within this ziggurat await untold riches and the sunken city of Cynidicea-along with unexpected challenges, deadly threats, and the fallen kingdom's desperate inhabitants. Forsaken by the outside world, the Cynidiceans don elaborate masks and vie against each other in factions devoted to ancient gods. Meanwhile, an ageless evil of unknown origin lurks in the bowels of the dilapidated ziggurat. Called Zargon the Returner, the tentacled, one-eyed creature preys on the Cynidiceans even as they worship it as a god. To reclaim their former kingdom, the Cynidiceans must oust the eldritch abomination and its cultists. "The Lost City" is designed for four to six 1st-level characters. If, on completing the adventure, you wish to extend it further, consult the "Extending the Adventure" section at the end of this chapter. Isolated for centuries, the masked citizens of Cynidicea seek to appease old gods, restless spirits, and ancient evils Background Centuries ago, Cynidicea was the capital of a prosperous kingdom. Through advancements in magic and technology, the Cynidiceans reclaimed land from the desert and transformed their city into a paradise. Cynidicea peaked with the reign of King Alendria and Queen Zanobis. After the deaths of these last great monarchs, the Cynidiceans honored them by erecting a massive step pyramid that served as an important city hub for years. The fall of Cynidicea began when workers digging under the ziggurat discovered a gnarled, jet-black horn jutting from a mysterious obelisk. Unknown to the workers, the horn belonged to Zargon the Returner, a timeless evil entombed in the obelisk eons ago. The moment the Cynidiceans pried the horn from the monolith, their city was doomed. Materializing from its severed protuberance, Zargon devoured the workers and slew the garrisons that followed, drowning them in torrents of slime. Ra...