Lost Empire of the Ekamari: A 5th Level Adventure for 5th Edition

Long ago, the jungles of southern Arden were ruled over by the Ekamari, a race of sentient snake people. These deceitful creatures built a great empire that spanned a third of the continent. Eventually, though, infighting and an unknown calamity sundered their kingdom and scattered the remaining Ekamari to the winds. Now, small pockets of snakefolk remain in the depths of the jungle, worshipping their dark gods and waiting for their empire to rise up once more.

One such group has taken it upon themselves to guard a great relic of their people, the Shell of Yacumama, an item capable of summoning forth an avatar of one of their darker gods. Hidden away in the depths of the Deepgrowth where the sun cannot reach, it rests upon an ancient stone pedestal surrounded by warriors devoted to its protection. There it would have remained if not for a lone explorer who stumbled upon its location. Before he could grab it, he was driven back by the Ekamari and forced to flee north back to civilization. But the secret was out, and the Ekamari's treasure was now known.

The explorer, fearful of returning to the jungles, sold his story to a group of adventurers in exchange for some coin and a stiff drink. Now, they've decided to seek out the treasure for themselves, braving the great river that leads to the Deepgrowth and the ancient structure within.