18a. Hidden Crystal Orb

This area is hidden and the PCs will need to find the secret door that guards it in order to enter. The door is a strong iron panel modeled to espouse the irregular room’s wall with solid iron hinges, covered with stones precisely cut to give it a natural and unnoticeable look. The door can be opened by puling on one of the rocks slightly above the door that will release the mechanism that keeps it shut. If the PCs manage to find the hidden door in room 18, read the boxed text below. This secret room is very small. You look around and see nothing but a large basket filled with a pile of old blankets devoured by mold and dust. Placed atop the blankets, you immediately notice a large glass ball. This orb shines and, although everything else in the room appears dirty and forgotten by time, it appears to be in pristine condition. There is nothing else in this room, making you wonder what led someone to hide something like this in here. The glass sphere is called the Orb of Confinement and is about the size of a basketball. It is used in conjunction with the gnomes’ statue found in room 12. Refer to room 12 and 23 for complete details. Holding the sphere, it will appear hollow and translucent. If the PCs shake it though they will notice there is something inside, reminding them of a fine powder or sand. This powder will however be invisible. Exposing the sphere to daylight will reveal that it contains a slight blueish vapor inside of it, but will give no other indication as to what it might be. There is no way to destroy the orb unless powerful magic is used. Destroying or otherwise cracking it will turn the orb to dust and instantly kill its prisoner (see room 12).