Hosting a Guest.
So I'm running a group of four players through the Temple of Elemental Evil and the party had just returned from their first visit to the Moathouse after clearing the Bandits. I was prepared for some role play in the town a relaxed debrief session. Rest equip and prepare for the return to the Moathouse. So hadn't really prepped much, as Hommlet is fully prepped.
Then I get a message my friend Callum is visiting and has never played D&D before and would like to play for a single session. I wasn't happy that what I had planned this was the ideal session for a new player to join, it was too low key. Really I needed something a little more exciting and action packed. Something simple, with a linear progression.
Now over the years I have has some experience with having to assemble a game at very short notice, such as those occasions where one player inexplicably didn't show. It's a simple job to grab a piece of Graph paper, choose a monster of the week and design a lair. Usually, you might have a theme, Haunted House, Goblin lair. So for one reason or another I have run these sessions, even a solo session with just 1 player at far less notice.
I also had very little time to prepare, but more than enough. I needed a Dungeon for one night only. Something that would slot right into the campaign and not be jarring.
This is what I came up with.
Map of the Castle at Hommlet.
Play map of the Bailey.
Barrow of the King.
My notes were rough and I didn't have time to detail all the rooms like I would have liked to. So here they are unaltered.
__________________________________________________________________________
Barrow of the King.
Plot the new castle is being built on the highest point in Hommlett. The Bailey has been built on what is assumed to be the remains of an iron age hill fort. It is in reality a barrow. The Barrow is a stepped pyramid, that has been covered by tons of earth. Whilst constructing a well for the Bailey the builders encountered stone digging through the stone and part of the well collapsed beneath them.From the top it appears that part of the walls of the well have collapsed and the miners are trapped at the bottom. Initially, they need someone small enough to fit in the well and ask the Halfling for help. Going down he will find the hidden chamber.
Within the complex, there are 8 outer rooms each with a set of Guardians.
Each will have two doors the final chamber will have a door leading to the middle chamber.
Inside is a skeletal snake, this is an animated object and not undead. It has a poison attack.
Ash Chamber
Between Fire and earth, the room is filled with ash. There are tables and chairs in the room carves from charcoal. Charcol and burned wood decorate the room with delicate leaves burned in forest fires their skeletons attached to the branches. Burned offerings, of bread, fruit and meat carbonized or comprised of ash decorate the burned table. Men rise from their seats, constructed out of the powdery substance but quite solid. The y appear to take damage like real people and bleed ash. They have the stats of armoured skeletons. They appear to look like druids and have olive garlands in their hair.
They are especially vulnerable to water, although not undead, holy water will damage them, but so will normal water. Their touch drains water from their subjects.
Ashmen. 6 These have killed the miners.
hp 18 (0d12+1d12+1d12), Skeletal CR 1 XP 400, Any Medium Humanoid (Undead) Undead traits
Init +7 Speed 20 AC 19, Touch 12, flat footed 17 ( Shield, light wooden)
(+2 Dex, +5 Natural +2 Armor)
Melee Base Attack 1 Grapple 3, Single Attack Longsword +3 (1d8+3/19-20) Full Attack Desiccating touch +3 (1d8+3/19-20); Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA , SQ Damage reduction 5/bludeoning, Darkvision 60, Immunity to cold, Undead traits
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +4,
Str 14, Dex 17, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills Feats: Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative, Martial Weap Prof, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency; Languages Common.
Earth Chamber.
The room has painted murals and intricate mosaics, these contain Glypsh that animate the wooden statues and stone statues. The wooden statues have the stats of small and Medium animated objects and hardness 5, vulnerable to fire. They guard a chest that is a small mimic. The small wooden statue is of a Satyr. Half man half goat, he plays pan pipes and those that hear the tune must save DC 12 join him dancing behind him, those he does not charm he attacks as he passes them leading the others who dance behind him as he leads them around the chamber.
The other is a wooden stature of the green man, he looks like a tree and his face is made out of vines and carved leaves. His hands are clawed and he hits as if using a longsword.
There is a chest in the corner of the room that seems incongruous. It appears to be growing out of the roots of a tree carved into the wall as part of the woodland scene.
Wooden Satyr Statue.
Animated Object, small hp 15 (1d10+10), CR 1 XP 400, Neutral Small Construct Construct traits
Init +1 Speed 40, Improved speed Normal 30ft, legs 40ft, multiple legs 50ft, wheels 70ft AC 14, Touch 12, flat footed 13 ( No Armour, Shield, none)
(+1 Dex, +2 Natural, +1 size)
Melee Base Attack 0 Grapple -4, Single Attack Slam +1 (1d4) Full Attack Slam +1 (1d4); Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA Blindness If sheet like can wrap around head on a successful grapple, Constrict Deals slam damage +1.5 times STR bonus on a successful grapple, Constrict If object is flexible e.g. rope, SQ Construct traits, Damage reduction Has a Hardness of the object animated, Darkvision 60, Improved speed Normal 30ft, legs 40ft, multiple legs 50ft, wheels 70ft, Low-light Vision
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will -5,
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills Feats: Languages None
Green Man.
Animated Object, medium hp 31 (2d10+20), CR 2 XP 600, Neutral Medium Construct Construct traits
Init 0 Speed 40, Improved speed Normal 30ft, legs 40ft, multiple legs 50ft, wheels 70ft AC 14, Touch 10, flat footed 14 ( No Armour, Shield, none)
(+4 Natural)
Melee Base Attack 1 Grapple 2, Single Attack Slam +2 (1d6+1) Full Attack Slam +2 (1d6+1); Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA Blindness If sheet like can wrap around head on a successful grapple, Constrict Deals slam damage +1.5 times STR bonus on a successful grapple, Constrict If object is flexible e.g. rope, SQ Construct traits, Damage reduction Has a Hardness of the object animated, Darkvision 60, Improved speed Normal 30ft, legs 40ft, multiple legs 50ft, wheels 70ft, Low-light Vision
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will -5,
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 1, Cha 1
Skills Feats: Languages None
Mimic.
Appears to be a small chest. When opened, it attempts to swallow whole its victim. It has hundreds of tiny legs and can move. It shoots Darts from its lid.
hp 11 (0d8+1d10+1), CR 1 XP 400, Chaotic Evil Medium Humanoid
Init +2 Speed 30 AC 15, Touch 12, flat footed 13 ( Studded Leather, Shield, none)
(+2 Dex, +3 armor)
Melee Base Attack 1 Grapple 5, Single Attack Falchion +5 (2d4+6/18-20) or Javelin +4 (1d6+4)
Full Attack Bite +5 (2d4+6/18-20) or Javelin +4 (1d6+4) range 30; Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA Swallow whole, it begins a grapple with a creature with its tongue and pulls it in, SQ Darkvision 60, Sensitivity to Light dazzled in bright sunlight, hardness 3
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will -1,
Str 18, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 7
Skills Climb 5, Intimidate 0, Jump 5, Listen -1, Ride 2, Spot -1, Swim 4 Feats: Point Blank Shot, Armour Prof Heavy, Armour Prof Light, Armour Prof Medium, Martial Weap Prof, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Tower Shield Proficiency, Weapon Focus(Ranged); Languages Common.
Mud Chamber.
The floor is coated in a thick layer of Mud, it is sticky and slows your speed.
Mud Creature. hp 21 (0d12+1d12+1d12+3), Zombie Template CR 1 XP 400, Chaotic Evil Medium Humanoid (Undead) Undead traits
Init +1 Speed 30 AC 15, Touch 11, flat footed 14 ( Studded Leather, Shield, none)
(+1 Dex, +1 Natural, +3 armor)
Melee Base Attack 1 Grapple 6, Single Attack Slam +6 (2d4+7/18-20) or throw mud ball +2 (1d6+5)
Full Attack slam +6 (2d4+7/18-20) or throw mud ball +2 (1d6+5) range 30; Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA , SQ Damage reduction 5/Slashing, Darkvision, Staggered (Ex) Can only take a partial action (attack or move), Undead traits
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +4,
Str 20, Dex 13, Con 0, Int 0, Wis 10, Cha 1
Water room.
Ice covers every surface this is the woodland in winter. Snow has settled on all the trees and covers the ground.
Ice warriors.
Frozen winter chamber.
Ice Warrior level 2 (skill points 15) Heavy foot soldier
hp 11 (0d8+2d8+2), CR 1 XP 400, Any Medium Humanoid
Init 0 Speed 20 AC 15, Touch 10, flat footed 15 (+5 natural armor, Shield, none)
( +5 natural armor)
Melee Base Attack 2 Grapple 3, Single Attack Longsword +4 (1d8+1/19-20) Full Attack Freezing touch (1d8+1/19-20); Space 5ft.; Reach 5 (Cold Aura 1 point of damage to all within 5 ft)
SA Fort +4, Ref +0, Will -1,
Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 9, Cha 8
Skills Climb 1, Intimidate -1, Jump 1, Listen 0, Search 0, Spot -1, Swim -7 Feats: Armour Prof Heavy, Armour Prof Light, Armour Prof Medium, Martial Weap Prof, Power Attack, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Tower Shield Proficiency, Weapon Focus; Languages Common
Storm room.
A a black rain cloud floats in the center of the room giving off blue sparks. The scene as a wood land grove in storm wind and rain batter you.
hp 22 (4d8+4), CR 1 XP 400, Neutral Large Animal
Init +5 Speed 0, fly 60ft. AC 14, Touch 10, flat footed 13 ( No Armour, Shield, none)
(+1 Dex, +4 Natural, -1 size)
Melee Base Attack 3 CMB 7; CMD 18, Single Attack lightning strike +5 (1d8+4) Full Attack lightning strike +5 (1d8+4); Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA , SQ Blind sight 30ft, Keen scent 180ft can detect blood up to a mile
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2,
Str 17, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills Perception 8, Swim 3
Air room.
Illusion parcorp trail characters must find correct path. Or fall into pit.
Smoke Chamber.
Room is full of fog that limits vision to 5 ft. Vapor rats live in the fog.
Rat, Vapor
Tiny Magical Beast (Air)
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares), swim 20 ft, burrow 5 ft
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-10
Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d2-4)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d2-4)
Space/Reach: 2 ½ ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Death throes
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, vapor form
Saves: Fort +3 Ref +6 Will +1
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Balance +3, Climb +11, Hide +15, Listen +4, Move Silently +11, Spot +4, Swim +19
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-16)
Challenge Rating: ½
Treasure: None
Alignment: chaotic evil
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Tiny); 5-6 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: ---
This is a large, gray rat. Mist seems to flow around this giant rodent inexplicably.
The vapor rat is a rodent with the ability to transform itself into harmless vapors. In that form, a vapor rat appears to be a wisp of cloudy mist that can direct its movement the same way a ship steers before the wind.
Vapor rats are quick little scavengers that can swim and burrow through loose soil to get at food. They will eat most anything, and will gladly consume garbage and carrion. Vapor rats have no concept of treasure, but may occasionally drag treasure incidentally into their lairs.
The mythical cloud islands of the cloud giants are said to contain swarms of contented vapor rats, which use their misty forms to float from cloud to cloud.
A vapor rat is about a foot long and weighs the same as a normal rat.
COMBAT
Vapor rats normally run from attackers, but if angry, cornered, or hungry enough they will scurry in to deliver their sharp bites. If wounded or seriously threatened, a vapor rat will assume its vapor form to escape. When killed, a vapor rat gives off a puff of noxious fumes, so the best tactic is to slay these beasts from a distance.
Death Throes (Ex): When a vapor rat is killed, its body creates a gaseous release of noxious fumes that affects a single 5-foot cube in any square within 10 feet of the vapor rat for one round. This affect is always aimed towards the creature that killed the rat. Any creature in that square or who enters that square while the effect is active becomes nauseated for 1d4+1 rounds (Fort DC 11 to negate). The save DC is Constitution-based.
Vapor Form (Su): Most of the time a vapor rat is solid, but at will it can assume a vapor form. It can switch forms once per round as a free action. A vapor rat in vapor form can fly at a speed of 10 feet (perfect). The ability is otherwise similar to a gaseous form spell.
Skills: Vapor rats have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. A vapor rat can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
A vapor rat uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks.
A vapor rat has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Fire Chamber.
Fire Boar hp 25 (3d8+9+3), CR 2 XP 600, Neutral Medium Animal
Init 0 Speed 40 AC 16, Touch 10, flat footed 16 ( No Armour, Shield, none)
(+6 Natural)
Melee Base Attack 2 Grapple 4, Single Attack Fire +4 (1d8+3) Full Attack Gore +4 (1d8+3); Space 5ft.; Reach 5
SA , SQ Ferocity Can attack while disabled or dying, Low-light Vision, Scent
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +2,
Str 15, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 4
Skills Listen 7, Spot 5 Feats: Alertness, Toughness;
NECROPHIDIUS
The soft scrape of bone reveals the long, sinuous skeleton of a large snake, its head a humanoid skull with a snake's jaws.
CR 3
XP 800
N Medium construct
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 36 (3d10+20)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +1
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +6 (1d8+4 plus paralysis)
Special Attacks dance of death
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 17, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 19 (can't be tripped)
Skills Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers
+12 Stealth
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary or coil (2–6)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dance of Death (Ex) A necrophidius can entrance opponents by swaying back and forth as a full-round action. All creatures within 30 feet who can see the necrophidius when it uses its dance of death must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or be dazed for 2d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Paralysis (Su) Any living creature that is bitten by a necrophidius must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Despite its sinister appearance, the snake-like necrophidius is not an undead creature. Rather, it is a magical construct built from the skeleton of a giant snake and then mounted with the skull of a humanoid creature. Fangs are cemented into the jaws of the skull, after which the entire creation can be brought to life by a series of obscure and expensive rituals—these rituals are traditionally well guarded by those who discover them.
As a mindless construct that requires neither food nor sleep, a necrophidius makes an excellent guardian, and its innate stealth allows it to slip up on the unwary undetected. In certain areas, the necrophidius is commonly employed as an assassin, able to disable its quarries with its dance of death or paralyzing bite before disposing of them in a gruesome manner—as long as the assassination doesn't require any particular intelligence to carry out. Particularly macabre creators might even construct the creature from the skull of a friend or loved one of the intended victim in order to magnify the horror of the assassination, leaving much of the flesh on the skull so the victim can recognize its source. This flesh rots eventually—only freshly crafted necrophidiuses have this grisly feature (although regular applications of gentle repose spells can keep such a morbid decoration fresh for a much longer period of time).
Although a necrophidius is mindless, it can follow the simple commands of its creator. These can include commands to lie dormant until some specific condition is met or to follow and kill an indicated target to the exclusion of all other activities.
A typical necrophidius is 10 feet long and weighs 200 pounds.
Construction
A necrophidius's body consists of a human skull and the skeletal remains of a constrictor snake, all treated with rare oils and powders worth 1,000 gp.
NECROPHIDIUS
CL 10th; Price 7,500 gp
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Construct, cat's grace, daze monster, geas/quest, ghoul touch, creator must be caster level 7th; SkillCraft (sculpture) or Heal DC 15; Cost 4,250 gp
______________________________________________________________________
Running the dungeon.
These notes were sufficient for me to run the game.Very simple and linear, a set of nine rooms, each with a guardian that attacks as soon as you enter the room. Keys in each corner allow entry to the central room. Meaning they had to visit all nine rooms. It was very contrived and artificial, so breaks many of my own personal rules of dungeon craft.
Don't railroad the characters.
Creatures don't sit in their room and wait to be attacked.
Creatures don't always fight to the death and last man standing
Where are the latrines, bedrooms, kitchen and exits.
The Dungeon explored the themes of the four elements that I was building into the campaign, most of the flavor text I kept in my head. The basis of which was that each of the corner rooms was one of the four elements. With the intermediate rooms being halfway points. Each was a woodland scene, and as well as elements the scene progressed through seasons.
I populated the dungeon with magical constructs of various kinds, I simply grabbed the stats of level appropriate creatures and renamed them. The Ashmen were just normal human warriors, their attack their normal weapon damage, but as a touch that desiccates. Mudnen Zombies with a ranged touch attack as they threw mud. the cloud a shark, with it's bite re-purposed as a lightning bolt.
It's a very old trick, to take the stats for one creature and convert them to another changing a few details such as special attacks, the name and the flavor text.
I did make most of the creatures attacks touch attacks or ranged touch attacks, which made them more effective against armored foes. It was a a party of 5 level 3 characters, Mage, Cleric, Rogue, Fighter/Monk and Barbarian. So it was quite full on and they began to be depleted halfway through.
The key to the whole thing and it took them a while to realize it, was they could take as long as they liked. Each room became benign as they cleared its guardians, they could stroll back to the rope climb up and they were home. So I allowed them, to retire go back to their beds rest up heal and eat and return to where they left off.
They enjoyed this dungeon immensely, especially the Ashmen. Who they discovered were very vulnerable to water being composed entirely of ash.
There was a debrief for the next session, which I hope gives you a taste of the flavor of my campaign.
__________________________________________________________________________
Debrief.
Report on the
findings of the small council of Hommlett, at the mound of the King.
To his Lordship the
Viscount of Verbobonc.
Word of the discovery of the barrow of the king has already
reached you this is the full initial report from, the Small council of
Hommlett, myself Grandmage Burne, Canon Trejon of the Temple of St Cuthbert, Jaroo
Ashstaff Druid of the grove in Homlett.
We are loath to open the caskets found in the chamber, due
to portentous, inscriptions on the walls and door of the inner chamber. Stating
the king but sleeps awaiting the hour of the kingdom’s greatest need. We feel
further study is required of the writings and artefacts contained within,
before proceeding further.
However, there is some large fortune in gold, silver and
platinum, and other treasure, in the chamber, on land already ceded by the
village to the Viscount. A reward for its
recovery on the Vicount’s land has already been made. To those who discovered
it. The bulk of the treasure will go to hasten the construction of the castle
alleviate the cost of building. Which will also reduce the subsequent local
taxation the would have ensued in course. With a tithe of 10% both to the
church and to the village administered by Grand Druid Jaroo Ashstaff. With
respect to the latter due to the apparent Druidic nature of the site and his
invaluable advice pertaining to its secrets that he is not oathbound to keep,
but in good faith has sworn to keep the pact of secrecy of this council.
We will each give our individual reports.
Druid Jaroo Ashstaff’s
report.
The site is comprised of nine square rooms of equal size.
Eight are arrayed around a central room which appears to be the fabled king’s
final resting place. Where the legend is that he and his queen are just
resting, and will return at the hour of the Kingdoms greatest need.
However, the viscount should not worry concerning a
potential usurper, as king with a lowercase K is not the same as the title of
King with an upper case K, that we have now in modern nobility. A king may be chosen and inferred with power
for a certain length of time before being sacrificed at the solstice for
instance. He may be a mighty warrior of hero or renown. He may be a spell
caster. But certainly, not royal as we
would know it. The people were ruled by chieftain’s who held family ties, but
kings did not rule, but were considered above the rule of Chieftain’s due to
their power and prestige and were outside the law.
Other such barrows found and violated have been known to be
cursed places and the kings therein have been barrow wrights. Usually, these
are much simpler affairs containing a single central chamber and a single
passage to the ground. These tombs being built like wombs, with the mound the
belly of the mother and the passage the canal where the newborn is delivered.
So, although they represent death cults and all that is
horrible about this, they also represent rebirth and reincarnation. The Grave
goods that attract treasure hunters and plunderers are gathered to provide for
this second life.
Such sites predate the Flann migrations south, and the mound
builder’s workings can be seen as far east as the aptly named Cairn hills to
the Lorridges at the most Northern point the Stark mounds to the furthest east
to the tors to the furthest south.
My Elven friends tell me they predate, even their arrival in
the south west, but they could find no trace of the builders or any cities they
may have had. Although they had collected their wisdom and deciphered their
writings, as they shared a common symbolic language, which with elven and
druidic symbols now forms the basis or the arcane language of Mages.
The Flan and the Druids who venerate the old gods, a trinity
of Gods Beory the earth Mother, Pelor the Sun God and Rao the God of thought,
have only three elements in our traditions. Beory being both earth and water
and Pelor being both air and fire, while Rao being spirit, moves between them
but is apart from them.
And as Druids have a preoccupation with the number three.
The builders had a likewise obsession with the number four. It reoccurs in
their mythology time and again. They had a common calendar, as well as a
complex language and books can be found as well as all manner of art and
artefacts. The tombs can be dated to this timeline, but there are few clues as
to how long ago they were built. It seems that shortly before their
disappearance, as completely vanish they did, there was a flurry of activity in
building their tombs, the first and last separated by a century or so,
something had gripped them in a mania as the number of tombs increased as time
went on. And so, did their simplicity from complex, elaborate affairs, to
little more than piles of rock at the conclusion.
This barrow is the earliest found to date, it is the most
complex and richly appointed. It frescos show scenes of idyllic daily life
living in a sylvan wilderness, in the great forest that once covered the south
western flanness. Linking the Gnarly in
the east, with the Thorn wood in the west, with the Vesve in the north with the
Dreadwood in the south. As this was the domain of the builders.
The four of the chambers represent each of the four
elements, Air, Water, Earth and Fire, while those that lay part way between
each of the four chambers, consisted of Storm, Mud, Ash and Fog. The frescos show
how they had tapped into these earthly forces, as throughout there is not a
hint of Evil or Good, no demonic or celestial force or any aligned power. There
are no mention of gods or outsiders in this tomb, it is as if they had no
conception of the gods, or externals, or if they did, they were carefully
omitted from the frescos.
The eight chambers depict forest scenes, carved on the walls
are symbols and inscription, many motifs repeat time and again.
Name
|
Calas
|
Gwyar
|
Nwyfre
|
Ufel
|
Symbol
|
Earth
|
Water
|
Air
|
Fire
|
Color
|
Yellow
|
Green
|
Blue
|
Red
|
Direction
|
North
|
West
|
East
|
South
|
Season
|
Autumn
|
Winter
|
Spring
|
Summer
|
Time
|
Dusk
|
Midnight
|
Dawn
|
Noon
|
State of Matter
|
Solid
|
Liquid
|
Gas
|
Energy
|
Altar Symbols
|
Salt
|
Water
|
Incense
|
Lamp
|
I swear by all I hold sacred to keep the all that we found
at this site a secret and will continue to offer whatever assistance is
required of the small council as and when required.
Druid Jaroo Ashstaff of the Gove at Hommlet.
Report on
the Barrow of the king by Canon Terjon.
I have forbad the opening of the caskets for fear of
unleashing what may lay inside. This tomb is further evidence of the Death cult
that destroyed the so called ancient builders. Many of their cairns have been
penetrated over the years and all have produced foul undead creatures.
Although, there is no stench of evil discoverable in the
chamber. Common sense tells us that this may all be part of some elaborate
ruse. Such aura’s only linger so long and this chamber has been untouched for
millennia. It is well known that evil auras do not penetrate certain materials
such as lead or gold. Many a greedy fool has had their spells thwarted by such
simple subterfuge. This is a tomb after all and the dead should remain
undisturbed, for decency’s sake.
The outer chambers are of the most interest as their
furnishings rather than being unholy, are completely mundane. They show just
pastoral scenes there no people, domestic animals, buildings, or features of
daily life. Yet it is another fiction, décor like landscape paintings and tells
us nothing of import about the builders. Those that have the whit can see
beyond the facade. Jaroo sees what he will, as this being the work of ancestral
Druid’s, his own ancient kin.
From its construction and the few grave goods in the main
chamber, they must have had a civilization much like our own. There is steel in
the weapons in the main chamber, a cart and a warship, a woven carpet, jars of
glass, fine pottery. Coins of different value, similar in size and weight as
our own. The frescos that cover the walls ceilings and floors are intricate
mosaics that demonstrate the work of 1000s of man hours of work by hundreds of
people.
Jaroo mentions their literature, yet has nothing but praise
for these degenerate people, he sees them through rose coloured glasses. He
neglects to mention the content of their literature. The mind searing insanity
of these works. Of the cults and degenerate remnants of their sick and twisted
society. Of the undead that haunt their barrows.
Cannoness Y’day made an extensive study of their literature
before her sabbatical. She reports that their literature rather than
demonstrating a lack of knowledge of gods, is a litany of powerful and
abhorrent creatures. Whilst their gods are not as we would recognize them,
their fictional mythology appears to lack any knowledge of other planes of
existence or an afterlife. Their magic or science, tapped into elemental
forces, but they appear not to have a knowledge of elementals or the elemental
planes.
She reported that they were xenophobic to the extreme. They
spoke of mongrels and crossbreeds. Of
corrupt races mingling with humanity and twisting them. They feared the Sea to
the south and the cold northern climes. They imagined great old ones and dead
gods sleeping and preparing to return. Of burrowers beneath and alien creatures
who lived between the stars. They spoke of the land of dreams as being a real
place. Of shadows falling and a cycle of time when all the bad things would
rise.
Simply put they had no moral code, no laws, no common sense,
no true faith and no lessons to teach us. It is best that we let the dead lay
in rest and close this tomb.
I swear by all I hold sacred to keep the all that we found
at this site a secret and will continue to offer whatever assistance is
required of the small council as and when required.
Canon William
Terjon of the Church of St Cuthbert Hommlet.
Report of Grandmage
Burne.
Aside from having nothing to teach us the builders and what
they left behind are the foundations of the arcane language used by all wizards
today. It is wholly used although in variant forms by the clerics of Dalt and
Boccob as their devotional language. With the admixture of elvish, gnome and
some outsider tongues it forms the entire Arcane language of spellcasters. No
word written by these ancients is not still in use today and they have yet much
to teach us.
We are fortunate that this tomb was discovered on crown land
and not land claimed by the clergy. That it’s mysteries can be unravelled and
for what it may teach us about the enemy and they ways of the temple. Here in
microcosm is perhaps a version of the same engine that is reportedly beneath
the foul temple and powers it’s elemental magics.
It remains to be seen what use we may yet put this engine to
in the defence of the castle and the realm. It’s existence and should remain a
closely guarded secret, so as to not attract the notice of cultist spies. Only
your eminence the five the penetrated the barrow and the three authors of this
document know of it all have been sworn to secrecy. Not even the guards of the
castle know of it.
But this is not a report on the builders and their relative
merits, but on the tomb and our findings there. As stipulated above the tomb
consists of nine equally sized square chambers in a grid pattern. Each chamber
is roughly a 40ft cube. Eight Chambers surround the ninth burial chamber.
My initial excitement that with the druidical motif of the
chambers this represented a classic alignment wheel was short lived. As true to
legend the builders seem to have no concept of alignment. The chambers are
beyond description in their beauty, but describe them I must.
Four corner elemental chambers are power sources, the
builders did not cast spells as we know them but wove magic into the structure
of their items and buildings. They were able to split matter into its
components, creating nodes of earth, fire, air and water. The Elemental rooms
are stable but bound matrixes of power. The fire room burns continually giving
of light and heat and an everlasting power source that needs no fuel, yet has
no reach outside the fixed boundary of the matrix. Each of the intermediate
rooms is linked to two of the nodes in a sympathetic way and has its own fixed
matrix. Although less dramatic than the fire room each of the others represents
an equal and balanced power. The regular shape of the tomb forms a powerful and
self-sustaining engine with no recourse to extra planer energy.
The inner rooms represent the intersection of each of the
others, but demonstrate how their science worked by extracting elements in turn
from a matrix. As long as the result contains elements in equal measure they
could extract, one at a time of each element, to arrive at a power node. The
mixture could never contain just two opposing elements or these would cancel
out each other or otherwise become unstable. So, to arrive at a fire node they
would remove, water, then each of the others in turn.
Although we did not know it at time of discovery, the tomb
is a pyramid with an entrance from the top, that leads to a tenth chamber of
identical dimensions built directly above the main burial chamber. This
contained four doors each with a guardian, comprised of three elements, A
Salamander (Fire, Earth, and water) a Basilisk (Earth, Water and Air) a Phoenix
(Water, Air and Fire) and a Wyvern (Air, Fire and Earth). Defeating either one
permitted access to its door.
Heroes descended to the ash room, in each they met guardian
creatures, each a part of the fabric of the room. Not really alive or undead,
but constructs. For example, the Ash room built to represent the forest after a
forest fire, was populated by men composed entirely of ash, these where powered
by both the fire node and the air node. In each of the nodes was a chest which
contained a gem, all four nodes and the intermediate rooms needed to be crossed
to gather the gems. These unlocked the door of the central chamber.
Within the chamber the following items were stored. 20,000
coins of each, of copper, silver, gold and platinum. Several fine swords,
shields and suits of armour as well as other weapons, all mundane but of
masterwork quality in need of repair but serviceable. A magical flying rug
large enough to carry four passengers. A model cart with two white oxen that
when commanded grows to full size and can be loaded with passengers and goods.
A similar model of a warship with crew. What we first took as wine caskets
contained more items. A lantern that has an eternal flame that can produce
fire, light, heat and smoke at command. A jug of water that never empties.
(with this I intent to build our well to hide the entrance to the tomb) A
cornucopia that produces, fresh fruit, cooked meat, bread, milk and honey and
again is ever full. Finally, a box that produces Ice and keeps its contents
fresh. With these the castle may withstand any siege as long as it’s walls are
not penetrated.
I swear by all I hold sacred to keep the all that we found
at this site a secret and will continue to offer whatever assistance is
required of the small council as and when required.
Grandmage Vinious Burne of the Mages Guild of Hommlet.
