Chapter 3: Dwellers of the Forbidden City - Tomb of Annihilation

Chapter 3: Dwellers of the Forbidden City. Omu lies in a basin hidden in the depths of the rainforest, surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs. The city is notoriously hard to find. Those who try must contend with miles of trackless jungle inhabited by natural predators, cannibals, and the remnants of Ras Nsi's undead army. Even skilled guides have difficulty threading their way through. To enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods, adventurers must tread cautiously, contend with the dwellers of the ruined city, and learn all they can about the nine trickster gods of Omu and their ancient rivalries. Omu To the untrained eye, Omu appears abandoned, yet its raised streets and splintered plazas are far from uninhabited. If the characters reach a point where they can see the city in its entirety, either by flying above it or by looking down on it from a cliff's edge, give the players a copy of handout 12 in appendix E. Approaching the City Two main routes lead into Omu. To the northeast, a river snakes down from the foothills of the Peaks of Flame and flushes into the city through a canyon (see area 17). The second access point is a staircase to the southwest (see area 1). Entering the City When the characters see Omu for the first time, read: The jungle parts to reveal a dead city enclosed by sheer cliffs. Ruined buildings and stone boulevards rise like ghosts from the floor of the misty basin. Colorful birds glide overhead. A waterfall pours into the basin, creating a swollen river that floods much of the city before draining into a deep rift filled with molten lava. A ruined palace lies a few hundred feet from the edge of the steaming abyss. The cliffs surrounding Omu are 100-150 feet high and composed of crumbling rock. Thick jungle hugs the clifftops, with ferns, orchids, and moss spilling over the edges. Every 100 feet or so, a gargoyle perches on the brink of the precipice. When a character gets a good look at one of these creatures, read: A vine-draped gargoyle perches...