Philocrates Murena

Philocrates took notice when he saw thieves already eyeing his tower as it was still being constructed. He realized he needed to build a trap so fiendish that any thief that dared to enter would never leave. Then, upon further reflection, he thought there might need to be more than one. Security works best in layers. His first protection was darkness. Other than the single entrance, there are no portals and no windows. The only light inside is magical. There are candles, but they trigger a silent alarm. Second, there are clues at the entrance that suggest the presence of a trap, and additional clues in the foyer once the thief breaches the door. These are decoys intended to be found. Disarming them provides a soft but satisfying-sounding click, but otherwise has no effect. Third, there are many Magic Mouths strategically placed along the walls; so many that they look like an extension of the tower’s overall Gargoyle decor motif. These remain completely silent when passed by Philo or one of his designates, but scream at maximum volume when passed by an intruder. Depending on where a thief has managed to get to, one or several trap doors may open in the intruder’s proximity. Type I contains acid; Type II is filled with rats; Type III is filled with undead; Type IV is a standard spike pit that already imprisons a gelatinous cube. Variations of these also exist with an illusionary floor instead of a trap door. Philo is very pleased by the early results and would love to get more accurate statistics from the tally he’s been keeping, but there’s been a sudden loss of interest in breaking in. Still, he’s thinking of adding some bronze golems, for that classy suit-of-armour decor look, but also as a means of driving thieves to the deadliest locations.