The Temple of Eshowdow

(A re-skinned and repurposed Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan)

1. History:
Eshowdow - the evil reflection of Ubtao - is said to have manifested and ultimately “killed by the moon” long ago.
The dark demigod of Chult was not without worshipers, and the Eshowe tribe and their city of the same name fell
to the influence of the reflection during the subcontinent’s golden era. The holy city of Mezro sent an army led by
the barae Ras Nsi, annihilating the city-state and taking no prisoners. Before the bitter end, their last great leader,
King Toloki, built himself a tomb hidden deep within their main temple before he perished.

With a miasma of forgetting lingering over the area (perhaps a curse from Ubtao or due to the influence of
Eshowdow), King Toloki, the Eshowe, and the temple have long since been forgotten. Not even travelers have an
easy time recalling the place long enough to make an accurate map of its location. No one came. No one went.
Until a certain archlich was looking for a hidden location as a laboratory.

Sensing the power of animal spirits in Chult after the disappearance of Ubtao, the archlich Acererak used the
former temple as a laboratory. Powerful animal spirits were captured and drained of energy in an attempt to use
them as fuel sources. The experiments were a failure however, and Acererak abandoned the location, eventually
moving on to Omu and their Trickster Gods that capturing souls may be more powerful than draining energy.

Those who linger in Eshowe for too long to lose memories. This effect is strongest on long-term residents, but
also affects explorers of the ruins, hence why Eshowe is still relatively unexplored and forgotten. The curse
prevents the resident spirits from fully recalling Acererak, but there are clues that may be pieced together.

2. Overview:
The Temple of Eshowe is “The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan” from ‘Tales of the Yawning Portal’ reskinned. Not
many changes are needed, but additions for the sake of campaign lore are necessary. Whether a DM chooses to
keep the following changes, omit some, or add additional ones based on their preferences, the following points
are worth keeping in mind:
a. The Temple’s location is entirely up to you. Consider that it is tuned for levels 5-7.
b. Fit ‘Tamoachan’ into Chult and Chultan history/lore.
c. Changes to general Temple lore are for the purpose of relating to the legend of Ras Nsi and the story of
Eshowdow, the first of which is something players are likely aware of at this point in their journey.
d. Changes related to Acererak are for the purpose of introducing said character, as well as the myth of
powerful animal spirits. These key concepts do not come until in the final couple of chapters of ‘Tomb of
Annihilation’ as written, and may benefit from being alluded to earlier in your campaign.
3. Room Changes:
Everything Mesoamerican is shifted to be Chultan in style. Easy enough. The language of Olman is simply flipped
to be an older dialect of Chultan. Name changes are big, though, and some of the monsters are re-skinned as
Chultan creatures.
a. 7. King Toloki: AC 17, 82 HP, 1 legendary action (move, hold person, bats)
i. Nerf axe and other loot, if desired.
b. 8. Statues of the 9 spirits: Hermit crab, Panther, Vegepygmy, Eel, Two Snakes, Slug, Crocodile,
Weretiger, and Octopus.
c. 13. Chac has lost most memory, but Dasa has memories of the experimenter. Tempts with a journal page.
d. 15. Scenes of Chult, Eshowdow, and the Eshowe.
i. North wall: Ubtao building Mezro, Thard Harr and Eshowdow watching.
ii. South wall: Ubtao dead in Eshowe, Eshowdow growing in size.
e. 17. Dinosaur heads. Bronto, Ptera, Anklyo, Tri (has bracelet)
i. Bracelet: Bracelet of Stone Shape, 10 charges. Curse still applies.
f. 22. “Beware. The Maze brings ruin.”
g. 25. Giant mutated yahcha beetles.
h. 28. Acererak’s main lab. Equipment rims the chamber with the gas spore. Another note.
i. 29. Eagle whistle = A different item. (“Kubazan’s Reach”, a magic whip, for our campaign)
j. 32. Bear head = T-Rex head.
k. 33. A model of Eshowe.
l. 36. Dust ‘ghosts' reenact Ras Nsi’s warriors committing genoside in Eshowe.
m. 42. Coatl = Kulu, a coatl known by Eku (if in party).
n. 46. Change loot if needed.
o. 52. The grabber of the statue’s scepter sees the final storming of the Temple by Ras Nsi’s army from the
point of view of a temple priest.
p. 54. Bat altar = Likeness/symbol of Eshowdow. Encounter replaced.

4. Names:
a. Shrine = Temple of Eshowdow, ruins of the Eshowe tribe city-state.
b. Tloques = King Toloki, a king who worshipped Eshowdow.
c. Ayocuan (wight) = King Ayo, Toloki’s father.
d. Tlacaelel (doppel) = Queen Temitope, Toloki’s mother.
e. Animal Guardians & Other:
i. Kalka-Kylla = Kagakila the crab spirit, and Tekuziztecatl = Tekuzite the slug spirit. The pair are
largely clueless, long since forgetting why they were brought to the temple.
ii. Dasa / Chac (eel) = Same. Dasa found Chac heavily drained of energy and memory. Dasa is
tainted by Eshowdow’s influence, and manipulates Chac and the players.
iii. Werejaguar = Masego the weretiger spirit. Good luck reasoning with him.
iv. Jaguar = Unnamed spirit, now gone feral and serving Xipe.
v. Xipe = Same. A minor manifestation of Eshowdow.
vi. Xilonen = Magugu, a badly deformed/evolved vegepygmy, now a fungal “tree”. If players speak
vegepygmy or plant, Magugu will beg for death.
vii. Amphisbaena = Wata and Wati, twin constrictor snakes, fused together. While their memory is
spotty, they recall ‘The Thin Man’: their vague recollections of Acererak.
viii. Octopus = Turned to stone by failed experiment.
ix. Centaur mummy = A human/crocodile monstrosity stitched together. If Camp Righteous has been
experienced, allude that this is ‘The Thin Man’s’ parody of that fable.
x. Giant hyena= Replace with a nemesis encounter.
 5. Acererak’s research notes are occasionally found:
a. Note 1 (room 8) “.... is suitable for experiments. Miasma of ruins guarantees elusiveness. Long-term
effects on organisms is unkno-”
b. Note 2 (slug) “.. infusion a success. Gastropod strong in latent energy, enhanced by ooze. Commencing
siphon experim...”
c. Note 3 (eel) “... perhaps deific in nature? Unknown. Amplified electrical output. Note: strain on life source
is…”
d. Note 4 (weretiger) “... abysmal lycanthrope. An undying disappointment.”
e. Note 5 (vegepygmy “tree”) “....with this fungal mutation. Curious. But limited potential. Consider
repurposing as…”
f. Note 6 (amphisbaena) “...weak alone. Union successful, albeit minor power…”
g. Note 7 (jaguar) “...strain exceeded limit. Creature reverted to primal form. Force-unioned options may
sustain…”
h. Note 8 (octopus) “Residual negative plane impact. Original entity gone. So many arms, so little use.”
i. Note 9 (room 46) “Afterthought: Why become a god, when you can make one?”
j. Note 10 (alligator) “...preserved undead union: success debatable. Energy output hindered. A new
approach is…”
k. Note 11 (near end) “...undead union: success debatable. Spirits comprised: useless. Temple latency:
constant irritant. Unions: failure. Souls.. the key? New sources located in…”

(party-specific)
Miryem is an antagonistic NPC in our campaign, previously assumed to be a friendly character. She is essentially an
Indiana Jones-inspired villain, playing the role of Damsel in Distress yet secretly being a ruthless tomb raider.

6. Miryem is at the top. She and her 3 Zhentarim scouts play the roles of captives.
a. Yokka (goblin boss), and 8 Batiri goblins riding giant wasps. Wasp riders have ½ cover. The wasps are
very well trained and attack if their riders are killed.
b. Acts as a captive, plays the victim. Wants: considerable loot, especially the masks or axe that the party
does not have. If hand is tilted, tries to use suggest.
c. If combat:
i. Miryem and her scouts unite with the goblins.
ii. Attempts to banishing strike a party member, take loot, and flee using dimension door. Willing to
leave allies behind.