Greetings Maze Dwellers! Long time no see. I have been somewhat beaten up by this year called 2020 (as have we all in one way or another) BUT there has been some gaming in spite of it all and, just in time for Halloween, a little one level adventure created for use in the setting of the wondrous world of Te'kumel and using the Empire of the Petal Throne Rules.
Really, it can be adapted, reworked, torn apart and completely rebuilt to fit any setting or rules set you wish to use, but I hope it will be used in someone's Te'kumel games.
It is submitted for you to for free, non-commercial use, as the rights to Te'kumel's intellectual legacy belong to the Te'kumel Foundation and M.A.R. Barker's family.
I do not claim to be a scholar of the setting, so it is offered with the caveat that it may not perfectly reflect the way an underworld would have worked in the Professor's games.
Doubtless, there will be discrepancies and error. The layout and secrets of a Tomb for Gru'ganu worshipers might be different upon "real" Te'kumel- this is only how I imagined them. Also, there are references to records of Iron Clan Helm shortly before the 2nd Imperium; upon reflection, I am not certain the Iron Helm Clan even existed then.
I am open to any suggestions for revision and editing of this adventure which might serve to make it more accurate.
It has not been play-tested, though I am planning to use it in the near future. The DM should read carefully through it and make any changes if he or she sees problem areas I have missed.
One major goof is after writing it I realized the level of characters should probably be at least 7th level, not 5th or 6th, as it is quite deadly and there are many ways to perish quickly here.
This can be amended, however, by making sure that if it is run with 5th or 6th level characters, the DM makes sure they have a reasonable means of magical healing and some good protective magical items against evil beings, as well as magical weapons, before they assay into the Restless Tomb.
Also, when I originally made this post, I realized that in writing the adventure I used AD&D H.D. (d8) to calculate enemy hit points, when in fact EPT uses 6 sided dice- I have amended this.
I do plan to print up my pages of this adventure and scan them all so that it can be printed up easily for a better physical copy, and when I do I hope to add more art, but for now, you have it in the form of a blog post to make of what you will. You may of course print it up by copy and paste into Word and printing up the images to assemble your own booklet.
I hope you guys enjoy it!
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Map: Squares are roughly 5'x5'
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INTRODUCTION
The Restless Tomb is an ancestral burial vault of
several noble lineages of the Iron Helm Clan.
The DM may place it nearly anywhere in his campaign,
including the City of the Dead in Jakalla.
The Tomb is the resting place of many devoted
followers of Gru’ganu, and also hides an active shrine dedicated to this Cohort
of K’sarul, the Ancient Lord of Secrets.
The DM may
have any premise for the party knowing about and assaying against the Restless
Tomb, such as their having found a map to this Underworld in a previous
adventure, or their being sent upon a quest.
Because
Gru’ganu is the Knower of Secrets, one interesting hook could be that a Clan or
Faction has learned that a person buried there was interred with a book of
secrets about several notable Clans or Figures…it wouldn’t do to leave such a
record lying there to be dug up at any time and spread shame. Far better to
find and destroy it!
This is but one suggested
plot hook to entice players to explore the Restless Tomb. A clever DM can
invent any number of plausible reasons for the party to trespass in this
forbidden place.
Those portions of text
rendered in italics are sections to be read aloud to players as they enter the various
vaults and passages of the Underworld. It will help the DM to read them while looking at a copy of the map to help visualize the dungeon and thus help run and describe it during the game. Many aspects of each room are not given narrative descriptions, so the DM should have a grasp of the dungeon as a whole before attempting to present it to players.
The DM is also at leisure
to change the Clan and Deity of the Restless Tomb to fir his or her campaign or
party composition. Suggestions for such a switch would be placing the tomb in a
non-Tsolyani nation and making it an older or unknown deity who would likely be
an earlier aspect of Gru’ganu.
Entry- Outer Door
“You
have gathered at the entrance of the sealed Tomb of the Iron Helm Clan. In this
20’ x 20’ vestibule with a 30’ ceiling, a heavy double door fitted with bronze
plates and an intricate heavy rope knot worked in gold and silver fittings
gleams in your torchlight. Engraved in the bronze plates is flowing Tsolyani
script and, very prominently, an etched outstretched hand, symbol of Gru’ganu,
the Knower of Secrets, Cohort of the God Ksarul. There are also engraved here
the names of several lineages of the Iron Helm Clan. The knot, woven between
two great brass rings affixed to either door, seems to serve as the only
apparent lock upon the double door. Lying in the vestibule are several
skeletons…perhaps the remains of tomb thieves, still garbed in Chlen-hide armor
where they fell before this door for whatever reason. The floor is engraved
with strange magical glyphs. It does not appear that this tomb door has been
opened in recent history.”
This entrance is a trap of a magical nature, and a Detect
Magic spell will indicate a strong presence of magic. This is not the entrance
used by those who minister in the secret shrine, and no one has passed through
here for many, many years. If the Skeletons are closely examined parts of their
bones will reveal bite marks as by
closely set fangs. A priest or sorcerer of Change alignment can make an
Intelligence check to gain the following knowledge which the DM can relate to
them.
‘The
glyphs are some sort of a magical ward and appear distinctly evil in
nature-they are likely charged with power of the Tlokiriq’aluyal, the Gods of
Change. As for the Script, it is a dark blessing of Gru’ganu upon the occupants
of this tomb, and a curse upon trespassers which promises they shall meet their
death at the power of a terrible guardian.”
If any person either handles the knot, strikes it, or
otherwise disturbs it, or should anyone think to cast a Dispel Magic spell on
the door or the knot, its true nature will be made manifest as it suddenly
transforms into a brightly feathered Vrin’galu, “The
Flying Snake”, and attacks. This magic effect is demonic in nature and was placed
here by the Demon Guardian of this tomb to punish grave despoilers and trespassers.
It has never suffered defeat and heals, over time, from any damage when it
returns to its rope-form. If killed the spell is destroyed.
Vrin’galu HD: 4 +
1 HP: 22
AC: 5 Move: 6”/24”
Notes:
Poison teeth. Use Remove Curse or apply T’sural buds within 3 Turns or die if
bitten. Wings worth 100 K’aitars each to a leather tanner.
There is no treasure to be found in the vestibule or upon
the skeletons.
Outer Vault
“As
the double doors to the tomb swing inward with a groan upon ancient hinges,
your fire pierces the cold darkness and lights up a 30’x25’ square chamber. You
immediately note two great pillars, 20’ in height, supporting a vaulted
ceiling, and two ornate doors spaced about 10’ apart set in the north wall. A
dark passage can be seen leading off to the west through a square doorway of
tightly fit stones, while another door is directly across from it in the east
wall. The room is filled with haunting, lavish frescoes of dark robed figures
amid strange and lurid scenes, and the pillars, made of black stone, are inlaid
with golden filled spidery script, but before you can make anything at all of
the paintings or the writing, you are horrified to discern a towering, blubbery
shape emerge from the shadows against the North Wall. A creature standing some
9’ in height clutches a wicked looking halberd of immense size- it is covered
in doughy, draping folds that fit it like a robe made of gray, knotty
skin. Two pale disc like eyes glowing
with a burning inner light regard you, squinting briefly as a croaking voice
speaks through a beak like mouth: “K’ayyal! K’ayyal! K’ayyal!” This is the
Tsolyani word for “eyes”, and it is spoken with a hunger and lust that leave
you in no doubt of what it desires of you. Bloody giant spoons, sharpened and
stained red with blood, jingle upon the creature’s belt, which supports a
strange leather baldric. From somewhere beyond this chamber, you hear a low,
murmuring terrible music of drums and occasional chanting voices which was not
audible in the vestibule.”
DM: Check for surprise.
The creature is a Thunru’u, “The Eater of Eyes”. It is stationed here most nights
that rituals are ongoing in the Secret Shrine, even though no one has passed
through the entry chamber in many years. The keepers of the Secret Shrine are
very careful to set guards at the two means of egress into the Shrine.
The Thunru’u is under the
control of the Priestess of Gruganu in the Secret Shrine. It is commanded to
attack anyone who might intrude.
Allow players an
Intelligence check at a penalty of +25 to possibly recognize the creature and
know that it is driven away by T’sarul buds. Any characters who have already
encountered this monster before may use their previous experience, of course.
Thunru’u HD: 5
H.P. 20 AC: 4 Move: 12”
Notes:
Carries no treasure, though it does have a pouch filled with a great collection
of rotting eyes. It can be repelled by T’sarul buds- this will drive the
creature to flee either into the door of the passage leading to Hall of Violet
Robes, or through the passage to the Buried Chamber (50% chance of either). It
avoids the Hall of dreaming repose due to the Shed’ra there. It will still
fight if attacked when thus cornered. If it is pursued in the Hall of Violet
Robes it will attempt to flee to the Outer Passage of the Shrine.
If the party examines the painted walls, they reveal black
and purple robed devotees of Gru’ganu worshiping his image and carrying out
unspeakable rites. They also show a Demon painted on the north wall, staring at
onlookers with malevolent burning eyes. It is depicted as black shape of
immense size.
The flowing script on the pillars is from the 1st
Imperium, as any priest or sorcerer or other language specialist will know. It
is remarkably well preserved.
These lines are mostly recitations of lineage names of the
interred dead, prayers and invocations to Gru’ganu for enlightenment, and wards
of vengeance against any who would rob the tomb of any secrets, treasures or
remains. However, there is a strange inscription set alone and of note. It
reads, roughly, as follows:
“Beyond Violet Door, Three Wedded Nobles Sleep, lo! The
Key is Red, the Song is Brief, a song well pleasing to Black Sword of Doom,
this key and this song for the visitant who in Gru'ganu comes seeking Secrets. Let
Holy Seekers come, death to all others, Hi’guri will wake to sunder thief or
heretic from soul. Beware.”
This inscription is a clue to the means of accessing the Crypt of the Noble Dead elsewhere in the Tomb.
The carven door in the west passage is opened relatively
easily- it has been used with some frequency.
The two doors in the north wall are identical, carven with
reliefs of frightening scenes of demons feasting upon human victims with
Gru’ganu seated at the right of a depiction of K’sarul.
The carven door in the east wall also opens without
difficulty.
S1: Statue of Gru’ganu
“You
see here a statue, set in a carved alcove, and slightly larger than human size…it
is of a robed humanoid with the head of a snake. It is carved from black
obsidian and leers with a gaze you would swear truly sees you. One hand
clutches a stone book to the creature’s bosom, the other raised in seemingly arcane
gesture.”
The statue is a depiction of an aspect of K’sarul’s Cohort.
Give a priest or sorcerer an Intelligence check to determine if they discern
this. The statue is blocking the secret door which leads to the Antechamber and
Crypt of the Noble Dead. It cannot be moved except by means of the secret
mechanism hidden in Sarcophagus 2 inside the Crypt of Seven Brothers. If that
mechanism is activated then the statue will sink into the ground as the secret
door behind it simultaneously grinds open.
Crypt of Seven Brothers
Another carved wooden door, locked and shut up fast, blocks
the entrance to this crypt. Unless the party acquires a key from the Priestess
in the Shrine, it must be forced open. If players open it, read the following:
“Your torches
reveal an elongated chamber, some 15’x 30’ in size. Set in the walls, at
intervals, are alcoves dug through the rock, each large enough to house a stone
sarcophagus painted in faded violet and black. There are seven such alcoves,
three in the west wall, one in the north, one in the south, and two in the
east. There is a painted scene of what appears to be a battle, seven
prominently painted figures rendered gloriously in the fray, and an engraved
inscription filled with fading paint in Tsolyani.”
DM: Have each player make an Intelligence Check at a penalty
of +20. If anyone succeeds, or, if a player mentions they are carefully
inspecting the features of the crypt, read them the following.
“Most
of the chamber appears untrodden for many years, but you note that the door
appears to have to have been in use and that a more worn path, free of dust,
leads from the door to the alcove directly across from it.”
The inscription will reveal that this is the resting place
of seven brothers of the lineage hiDurinomen. The brothers are Z’gal, V’rumi,
D’lash, Hikeltal, Dra’sim, Nekt’uru, and H’ret. All were distinguished warriors
or officers and died to a man in a battle against N’luss forces shortly before
the 2nd Imperium . The great tragedy of such noble brothers all
being taken at once is recounted poetically- it relates that their spouses and
lovers, of those who were married, were subsequently buried with their spouses,
and there are dates given. The name of each brother and their spouse/spouses/lovers
is inscribed above each alcove. If anyone searches the coffins (1-7) they will
discover the following contents and features:
Coffin 1: Z’gal and Chuma. 2 skeletons in decayed finery. A sword, shield and helm
are buried with him, they are of iron. The man and woman (distinguishable by
their garments) wear jewelry, head and arm circlets , eight items, in all worth
500 Kaitars. The helm is magical and adds +1 to A.C.
Coffin 2: V’rumi, H’lana and B’rit. Three lovers, two males with a female
between them, all clad in rotted splendor. V’rumi is buried with a rusted iron
long sword and his Chlen hide helm. All are adorned in Jewelry, twelve pieces
in all worth 600 Kaitars.
There is a hidden compartment at their feet (Intelligence
Check to find). If opened there is revealed a circular stone implement inserted
in a deeply set groove. It is set right. If it is pulled left by two or more
strong characters, a mechanism is activated and the party will hear it underground,
a sound of chains, scraping stone, whirs and clicks. They will then hear in the
passage outside the crypt a stone grating noise and if they check it out, they
will note that the statue of Gru’ganu (S1) is sinking downwards as a door opens
behind it, revealing the stair to the antechamber. Restoring the lever will
close the secret door in similar fashion- the device which effects this was
actually engineered by an android and is far beyond the ken of the party.
Coffin 3: D’lash. Buried in a suit of Chainmail and Helm. There is a
Ren’yu skeleton buried with him, his faithful and loyal companion Quick Fang,
who was put to sleep with pleasant intoxicants and laid to rest with D’lash
after it could not be consoled after his master died. There is an engraved
stone tablet at Quick Fang’s feet which relate this sad account. There is also
an Amulet of Mastery Over Renyu at D’lash’s neck with 6 Uses.
Coffin 4: Hikeltal and Vremissa. He is buried in his Chlen hide armor, she in once
splendid grave clothes which lie now in tatters. Vremissa wears an abundance of
golden ornaments and precious stones, six in all, worth 400 Kaitars.
Coffin 5: Drasim, K’muri and J’lan. A male and two females, his wives. Drasim
is buried in once fine robes, his helm at his feet and a +1 iron sword beside
him. They are all decked in jewels and gold, seven items in all, worth 400
Kaitars.
Coffin 6: Nek’turu and Hassalum. Two male skeletons buried together, both warriors in
Chlen hide armor and wearing their helms, their great swords at rest upon their
bodies. Austere and given to no considerations of anything beyond martial duty,
they wished no treasures buried with them but their weapons. Hassalum died with
Nek’turu at the battle-field.
Coffin 7: H’ret and Z’muna. Opening this coffin, the party is shocked to see a Chlen
armored skeleton lying with his weapon, a great sword, and beside him, a young
woman who is apparently alive and sleeping. She is beautiful with paper-white
skin and gleaming ebon hair. An engraved stone lies at their feet. If read, it
is an account which reads as follows:
“H’ret
hi’Durinomen, exalted warrior of Iron Helm, servant of the Tirikélu, sleeps in
Gru’ganu’s Knowing with his lover whom he found on his adventures in the
Forbidden City. Ageless Z’muna! She went veiled at his side all the days of
their bliss, twenty-two years, serving him joyously, and by her wish and his
she is laid to rest with him, let none disturb them.”
Z’muna is an automaton of the ancients, an android
discovered by H’ret in his early years when he went abroad on quests of exploration.
He and his companions encountered several of her kind, known as Yeleth – a few of their men died fighting
the perilous machine-women. But some glitch, perhaps due to past physical
damage, existed in Z’muna’s programming which falsely identified H’ret to her
as her programmer and master (the Gods alone know why) and not only did she not
kill him but gave herself willingly to him as his servant. H’ret kept her as a
lover (unable to marry her because of Clan pressures) and hid her mysterious
nature from his family and friends, a great source of mystery to them all.
Within moments of the coffin being opened, Z’muna will
spring into action, attempting to hypnotize and kill as many of the trespassers
as possible.
Within the coffin is a scroll, remarkably well preserved and
in Ll’yani script, which relates the nature of the Yeleth , their origin as automatons of the
ancients, and offers instructions which grant some chance of controlling one
(25%) if used by a person of high Intelligence. It of course is of no use in
the current situation. There is also a scroll in Tsolyani which relates H’ret’s
adventures in the Forbidden City, his “acquisition” of Z’muna, and a map of a
buried Temple to unknown gods in that dreadful place, to be used by the DM for
a future adventure.
Yeleth:
HD: 3 HP: 14 Move: 9” AC 6
Notes:
Z’muna attacks with a dagger buried with her. She has a power of hypnotism,
which lies in her mesmerizing eyes, as do all Yeleth; but because she has
little time to use it she can only affect 1-3 Party members, who all get a
savings throw. She will command any hypnotized party member to join her assault
(50% chance) or else paralyze them. Upon her destruction she will collapse and
begin to shake and smoke, with portions of her synthetic skin burning away to
revel wires and circuits.
Buried
Chamber
The door to this chamber is of carven wood like the others.
It must be forced open. Once it is, read players the following:
“As
the door gives way, you shine your lights into a small circular chamber some
15’ in circumference. It might have once served as an entrance to some passage
or room eastward, but long ago a cave in left that direction buried in a heap
of rubble and timbers. The ceiling to this room collapsed, leaving the raw
earth overhead exposed. It does appear that some kind of burial chamber was
here and a sarcophagus lies clothed in rubble and debris.”
There is great danger here. Any action undertaken in the
room, such as to perhaps dig out the coffin, results in a 45% chance of further
collapse resulting in falling stones doing d6 damage to everyone in the
room. This will happen for as long as players
stay active in the chamber, and it will prove impossible to clear any rubble.
If they spend more than a turn in here, there is a 70% chance the entire
chamber will be buried and anyone failing a savings throw against their
Dexterity will be buried alive.
Antechamber
This section should only be read if the secret door behind Statue S1 has been activated from the Crypt of Seven Brothers.
“Behind
the sunken statue that once concealed this secret door, you see in your fire
lights an ancient stone stair winding down into darkness. Following the stair
downwards, you travel about 20’ down and discover a strange chamber shaped like
an arched door, with the curved portion at the chamber’s south end. The north
wall is flat, with a great door of gleaming painted stone, colored in a deep
purple hue. At the curved end of the room is a dais with another terrible
looking statue upon it, perhaps 10’ tall. It is similar in aspect to the
dog-headed statue you saw outside but it holds a great and terrifying looking
sword pointed towards the north. Below the dais there is an ancient, blood
stained altar and around the room are heaped skulls as evidence of past
victims. The altar is dedicated to Change and Gru’ganu. In the floor near the
altar, opposite of the evil statue, is a strange carved symbol, some sort of
giant glyph in which any officiant at the altar would stand while ministering.
Around the walls are six large braziers, filled with tinder and coals, which,
if lit, would provide enough illumination to fill the entire room brilliantly.
The place has a pungent, disturbing aroma of death and blood.”
This antechamber is a ritual chamber to appease the Demon
Guardian of the Restless Tomb so that sacred persons may safely enter the Crypt
of the Noble Dead and examine the contents and rituals of the Violet Book
therein.
A clue to its use was given in the Outer Vault inscriptions (See Outer Vault description.)
The Violet Door is magical in nature. It cannot be opened by
any normal physical means but must be moved by Hi’guri, an invisible Demon who
will open the door from within IF the proper ritual is performed, unless the
party possesses spells or magical items which can breach it.
Only the blood of a sentient creature can activate the Door
Spell.
Upon inspection it will be seen that blood from the altar,
which has left trails upon the engraved floor, has been applied upon the door
countless times. Some is relatively fresh, perhaps only weeks old. This should
clue players in as to the intent in the altar’s design.
The players have choices here, which will depend upon both their
general alignment (Stability vs. Change) and their own deduction. There are five
ways the Violet Door can be breached and entry gained into the Crypt of the
Noble Dead:
METHOD ONE: If the party are Change worshippers and
are so inclined, if they have a slave or other prisoner handy, they can
sacrifice the person and apply their blood to the door.
METHOD TWO: Characters
may lightly wound themselves for d4 damage and apply their own blood to the
door. It will take at least four people to produce enough blood to activate the
Door Spell.
METHOD THREE: An implausible outcome of the encounter in
the Shrine is that the Priestess can be subdued and brought here alive; she is
able, by means of her amulet, to command the Demon to open the Violet Door and
to stand down from attack.
METHOD FOUR: If
the players can gain the Amulet of Hi-guri after defeating or killing the
Priestess, and have means to discern its nature (magic spells or Intelligence
Checks for spell casters), they can use it command the Demon to open the door,
but they must then roll a d20; a roll of less than 18 means the Demon opens the
door but attacks. A successful roll (18-20) will result in the Demon opening
the door and not attacking the party.
METHOD FIVE: a spell of Transmutation will affect the
door. It can be thus transformed to water or mud but this will incur the
immediate wrath of the Demon and result in Melee.
There is no treasure in the Antechamber.
If the players manage to get the Violet Door to open, read
them the description of the Crypt of the Noble Dead. The statistics of Hi’guri
are noted therein.
Crypt of the Noble Dead
“Beyond
the Violet Stone Door, you behold a passage way carved through stone, some 5’
wide and ten feet in height. As you pass down its shadowy length, you come to a
square portal, and as your torches light its confines, you are amazed to see a
great circular crypt filled with precious goods and three raised stone
sarcophagi, one at the north end of the chamber, one at the west, and one at
the east. Two great pillars stand towards the north, supporting the domed
ceiling. Gold, jewels and tall urns, as well as lavishly lacquered and painted
furniture and other crafted items are piled about the walls. There is a small black wooden table in the
center of the room and upon it is a great bound book, its cover of Violet hue.
Flowing Tsolyani script is painted on the walls, black script against purple
background.”
If the party gained access by using a spell of Transmutation
or by failing to properly use the Shrine Priestess’s Amulet to open the portal
(See Shrine Description), then at this point Hi’guri will attack.
If the party entered through the application of blood, the Demon
will only attack if any grave goods or the coffins are molested. He will also
attack if summoned to do so later in the Shrine.
The Violet Book is an ancient artifact which contains spells
and rituals of Gru’ganu. If it is touched or read at all by any Stability
priest or magic- user they will suffer 2d6 damage and must save vs. spells or
change from Stability to Change and become devoted to Gru’ganu and K’sarul! Whether
or not they save, they will still receive the Book’s special power (The Knowing
of Secrets, see below). Any warrior or other non-priest or wizard who touches
it will likewise suffer 2d6 damage but not change ethos. If perused by a priest
or wizard who worship a Change god, it will automatically increase one level of
experience, once in a life time. Furthermore, it will grant the following power
to such a reader, The Knowing of Secrets. They will be able to know, with certainty, 1d6
+2 secrets about anyone or anything. The character will instantly become aware
of this power, and the number of secrets/uses they have received. Thenceforth,
the player has only to inform the DM when they wish to use it. It does not
confer secrets of the Gods, only secrets of human souls such as hidden deeds or
aspirations, the whereabouts of places or things, secret doors, lost ruins, or,
Gods forbid, the secrets of their own heart! It can be used to figure out
technology of the Ancients, but only in specific uses and instances, not as
permanent knowledge of technology in general. For example, it may grant
knowledge of how to activate and use a Tube Car once but it will not give a
player permanent knowledge of the entirety of Tube Car technology. It is up to
the player whose character receives this gift to decide where and when to use
it, and the DM to interpret how to apply it, but it will reveal the unknown.
The Book will do this only once for a person. If taken from
the Tomb complex it will crumble to dust within minutes.
The three coffins in this room contain the remains of a
nobleman and his two wives. He was Heshru, a High Priest of Gru’ganu and the
designer of this tomb complex. It was also he who summoned and bound the Demon
to this tomb. The Script upon the walls are the initial of each occupant .The coffins are depicted by A, B and C on the map and contents
are as follows:
A: S’ramis, wife of Heshru.
Her skeletal remains lie in state and although her finery is crumbling, she
still wears exquisite jewelry, six items worth 300 Kaitars. She also has an
Excellent Traveling Volume with her, a magic tome which will allow any reader
to transport his or her self and companions to any location upon Tekumel, one
time.
B. Heshru. Buried in fine
robes of his priesthood, Heshru is seen by his skeleton to have been a tall and
imposing man. He wears a fine necklace of gold set with purple stones worth 400
Kaitar and a ring worth 200 Kaitars. He is also buried with a +2 Mace.
C. M’rine, wife of Heshru.
Finely garbed and wearing ornaments of gold and jewels, six in all, worth 400
Kaitars.
Grave Goods: There are numerous vessels, crafted items, and
pots of coins. In all, the deposit of buried wealth here is worth 1,300
Kaitars.
The Demon Hi’guri, Guardian of the Crypyt
Hi’guri is a minor Demon of K’sarul and Gru’ganu who was
summoned by the Noble Priest Heshru and commanded and bound to guard the Crypt
of the Noble Dead and the Violet Book. He has spent centuries in this tomb,
absorbing its evil and the black power of the rites that take place here. He is
mostly bound to this chamber and is the Opener of the Violet Door. However, he
is at the summons of every High Priest or Priestess who oversees the Shrine of
this Tomb by means of an Amulet passed to each new officiant over the years. The
secrets of his invocation and summoning are part and parcel of the training of
all such officiants.
Hi’guri is able to become Invisible, as per the spell. He
will also become visible after attacking and when he does, he appears as a big
black shape with eyes of fire.
Hi’guri HD 8 HP 40AC
3 Move 12”
Notes:
Hi’guri is often invisible, and when he is, he has +3 to Savings Throws and it
adds +2 to the number needed to hit him. Ch’len hide weapons do not harm him. He
will manifest physically as a big black shape with eyes of fire and in this
form he can terrify an opponent- they must save vs. spells or suffer a -2 to
all attacks due to shaken morale. Once per Turn, Hi’guri can send forth a shock
wave that will shake the tomb and everyone within range (30’)- when he does all must Save against Dexterity
or fall down, requiring one round to regain footing as the player’s only action.
Hi’guri will fight until dead, though when he is killed he is not truly dead
but banished to an outer dimension.
Hall of Dreaming Repose
This hall is the resting place of a number of Iron Helm Clan
members of the hiHi’mikul lineage, and this is noted in engraved inscriptions
upon the south wall. The doors into this
chamber are locked and of carved wood, as related in the description of the Outer
Vault. Note that the
right door opens onto a small passage which is trapped. The first character to
enter and walk upon the floor stones in the center of the passage will cause a
heavy stone to be released from a snare holding it up, doing d6 damage unless a
Dexterity Saving Throw is successfully made.
Once the party has entered the crypt, no matter from which
end, read the following:
“Your
lights reveal a long hall, some 55’ in length and 20’ wide. The ceiling is some
13’ in height. Your nostrils are immediately assaulted by a stench of old blood
and urine and excrement. Upon the south wall are two entry passages and between
these openings there are inscriptions upon the wall. Above these inscriptions
is an engraved relief in large, flowing Tsolyani script, which proclaims this
place to be ‘The Hall of Dreaming Repose’. The north wall is identical in
appearance to the south wall, except for the inscriptions, with two entry
passages. Along the east and west walls there are set, in the fitted stone
walls, ten alcoves, each large enough to house a large stone coffin. Torch
sconces are set upon the walls between alcoves. There is evidence of violent
struggle on the floor, here and there patches and streaks of dried blood of
varied ages, and strange trails of excretion all over the tomb, including the
walls and ceiling.”
This crypt is the lair of three Sh’edra. They are confined
here as a tomb guardians by many spells of the Priests of Gru’ganu, under
authority of K’sarul. They are fed drugged and weakened victims from the temple
rites on a continual basis and kept at bay by protections of magic utilized by
the Shrine attendants. They will not attack immediately but wait for
opportunity, and they hide behind the coffins in Alcoves 5, 6 and 8. As soon as
anyone disturbs any of these alcoves, they will spring forth. If no one
disturbs a coffin the Sh’edra will attack as the party is about to leave.
Sh’edra
“Eater of the Dead” HD 2 HP 10 each Move
9” AC 6
Notes: Anyone slain by a Sh’edra will become one themselves
in two rounds, attacking their former companions. Only a Remove Curse spell can
halt this effect- if a person becomes a Sh’edra, nothing less than either a
Wish spell or Divine Intervention will reverse this effect. S
The coffins here contain occupants and treasures that may be
time consuming to deal with individually, only three coffins are worthy of
specific note. Thus the DM should roll percentile dice and multiply the result
by 10 to generate an amount of treasure value in Kaitars, mostly jewelry,
armlets, necklaces and head circlets and rings. Some of the coffins contain
couples buried together, some single occupants, others may hold up to three.
This is left to the DM to describe.
As to the three coffins which hold special contents they are
as follows:
Coffin 3: This coffin contains a husband and
wife. He is dressed in rotting finery of a court official and she wears robes
of a Priestess of Dla’melish. Each wears d4 pieces of jewelry worth up to d100X3
in total. The dead woman also wears an Amulet set with a great emerald and
inscribed at the top with the symbol of the Green Goddess. The first is that the wearer always has a+25
reaction bonus when dealing with anyone who prefers the wearer’s sex. It also
has three uses which grant +25 to a character seeking Divine Intervention from
Dla’melish. Alternatively, it may be smashed once (and thus its magic
destroyed) for a guaranteed audience with the Mistress of Demons one time. The
powers of the Amulet are inscribed in fine engravings on the outer rim and back
of the Amulet, instructing the owner.
Coffin 8: This coffin holds a Pe Choi skeleton who
was accepted into the Iron Helm Clan. He wears garments of a priest. His name,
engraved upon a stone at his feet, was Krrihiri’ksst. Buried with him is a map and
directions relating to a hidden Shrine to the Black Mother in the Pan Chakas,
as well as four scrolls, magically preserved and written in Tsolyani. They are spells:
Remove Curse, Creatures,
Extra Vision, and The Silver Halo of Soul Stealing. (Refer to Empire of
the Petal Throne rules for complete spell descriptions, or substitute spells
from whatever rules you are using.) He also wears jewels and gold worth d100X3
Kaitars.
Coffin 9: Within this coffin lies a lone skeleton
wearing moldering robes that identify him, most likely, as a bureaucrat. He
wears jewelry worth d100 X 2 Kaitars. Hidden upon his person is an Eye of All
Seeing Wonder which reveals all illusions, hidden physical features, and
invisible things or creatures, with 4 uses.
Hall of the
Violet Robes
There are two “read aloud” descriptions here, depending on
from which end of the hall the party enters since it is possible, they may
arrive here by different routes. Both entries can be read aloud when they enter
the appropriate area.
The Southern Door (Square Chamber).
“Thrusting
your torches forward, you find revealed a square chamber roughly 15’ wide and
20’ in length. The roof is 13’ high. The chamber is part of a long, 10’ wide hall
which appears to be a catacomb of burial alcoves set in the walls, running both
north and south. In each alcove rests a great stone coffin. The square chamber
is painted with murals. Its most
prominent feature is a great stylized Silver Hand with fingers open, large,
worked in silver upon the West Wall. On either side of this symbol, in each
corner, are painted, to life-like scale, two human figures adorned in violet
robes, each with one hand outstretched and clutching a dagger, depicted as
standing directly upon the spot where the wall meets the floor. On each side of
each dagger are jewels cleverly worked to resemble Chri flies, two flies on the
left side of each knife and seven on the other. Across from these figures, on
the west wall, are painted their exact likenesses with the same features, on
either side of the entrance, so there are four identical painted figures. Above
the Silver Hand is an engraving in Tsolyani which reads ‘Hall of the Violet
Robes’ In the center of the chamber floor is a square, decorated with black and
purple , in which is painted, in Tsolyani numerals, a double number, 27.”
The North Door (Circular Chamber, The Purple Room).
“Herein
lies a circular chamber with a 15’ radius, its domed ceiling 13’ high. To the
south stretches a hall of catacombs, with alcoves set in the east and west
walls at 5’ intervals, each housing a stone coffin sunk in shadows. The
circular chamber is painted very bright purple, which under the glare of your
torches creates a surreal atmosphere. In its center is a stone table upon which
is constructed a wooden framework housing a silver bell. Upon the table lies a
metal rod for sounding the bell. Engraven upon the table are lines of Tsolyani
Script and underneath them a double number, 27.”
The Hall of Violet Robes is a resting place of Iron Helm
priests and priestesses of Gru’ganu, and it is also a special ritual chamber
visited often by adepts of Gru’ganu.
The Purple Room specifically is a place of Divination, but
its secrets are only revealed through the proper ritual, which is discerned only
by deducing a mathematical puzzle presented in the Square Chamber of this Hall.
The secret is known to initiated officiants of the Shrine but it is a test to
acolytes who come here.
The inscription upon the stone table in the Purple Room
reads as follows: “The
Four as One Possess the Keys to Gru’ganu’s Bell, That What is Hidden May be
Seen.”
The riddle will be unraveled only if players discern the
puzzle in the Square Chamber of the Hall of Violet Robes.
The Chri flies divided by the knives of the painted figures,
denote the number 27. In the Temple of Gruganu it is believed the Cohort has 27
different aspects. The depiction of the number 27 being divided by the four
daggers references the fact that this number has four divisors: 1, 3, 9, and 27.
The sum of these factors is 40 (ie. The “Four As One”, meaning the sum of the
four divisors). This sum is the number of times the bell must be rung, and not a
single time more, to activate the Divination Spell in the Purple Room. Hopefully
a player will deduce this, but at the DM’s option, he or she may provide
further clues by granting Intelligence checks for characters, giving clues as
needed until the matter is solved. Conversely, the DM may simply leave it a
mystery unsolved if no one deduces the puzzle. The DM should show the players the
visual provided below- it is a stylized depiction of the paintings and
engravings the Square Chamber holds.
If the Bell in the purple room is properly rung, the walls
of the Purple Room will begin to move and shadows emerge which will become an
animated sequence dancing before the eyes of the party. Each player will be
mesmerized by the events unfolding and by means of the animations will be able
to divine personal insights into the future.
Roll a D4 for each
character present and note the effect of receiving this vision, using it during
this game or in a future adventure, as applicable.
1: Receive
an automatic favorable reaction upon the next available NPC reaction check; because
having glimpsed an interaction before it happens, the character will have the
right words.
2: Glimpse
the next future combat before it happens and gain a free natural 20, as they
will know what moves the opponent will make. Their hit in the actual combat will do double
damage and if followed by a roll of 19 or 20 grant an instant kill or subdual,
player’s choice.
3: See
the contents and occupants of a dungeon room in advance, as though by means of
a Clairvoyance spell. This may be used at the player’s option.
4: Automatically
win the next Dexterity savings throw required of the character.
The Hall of Violet Robes contains 12 coffins; to save time,
if players inspect them all, the DM should roll a d100X12 + 300 to yield total
treasures found in Kaitars value. This will be mostly jewelry and small chests
of treasure laid in the coffin with the dead.
All coffins contain skeletons of dead priests and
priestesses laid in state in decaying purple robes.
In addition, four coffins are special and are noted as
follows:
Coffin 2: Here lies a dead priestess who clutches a
scroll of the spell Revivify.
Coffin 5: Herein is a withered, skeletal figure of a
priest buried with a book, written in classic Tsolyani…Chnesaq KhyChneshayalu, “The Mystery of
Mysteries”. It adds +5 to appeals for Divine Intervention.
Coffin 8: This coffin contains the remains of a priest in
rotted apparel who holds a book which appears remarkably preserved beyond its
years.
Coffin 12: Herein lie the remains of a priestess.
She wears a necklace which is in fact an Eye of Being An Unimpeachable Shield,
which grants immunity, for two turns, to blunt and edged weapons to d4 beings
(the user being one). It has three uses.
Outer
Passage of the Hall of Gru’ganu
This Hall is accessed by leaving either the Hall of Dreaming
Repose or the Purple Room in the Hall of Violet Robes. If the former, read Description
One. If the latter, read Description Two.
Description
One: “Your firelight reveals a long passage running east and west, about six
feet wide and with a ceiling of 10’ At the East end, you can vaguely make out a
looming, humanoid shaped figure cloaked in shadow. Towards the west, you can
see the passage turn towards the south. Just before this turn, however, in the
north wall of the passage, you can make out the vague outline of a recessed
archway, probably a door, flanked on either side by what appear to be carved
statues of warriors set in niches. The sound of the strange drums is very loud
hear and you can hear voices raised in chanting and moaning, filling the
passage with a song that is terrifying.”
Note: The looming figure is statue S2 and the DM should read
the S2 Description to the players when they examine the statue.
Description
Two: “Your torches reveal a long passage, some 6’ wide and 10’ high, running
towards the east. To your immediate right you see, in the north side of the passage
wall, a stone archway set with a bronze door, flanked on either side by what
appear to be two stone statues, set in niches, of grotesque, skull faced
warriors, clutching ancient iron swords. To the west, the passage disappears into
darkness. The sound of the strange drums is very loud hear and you can hear voices
raised in chanting and moaning, filling the passage with a song that is
terrifying.”
Note: When the players examine the east end of the passage, read
them the S2 Description.
The two skeletal warriors are in fact M’rur, undead creations of the Priests of K’sarul, resting
in these niches for time immemorial and so covered by the dust of ages and
cobwebs that they appear to be part of the wall. However, they will awaken and attack
instantly any intruders, their eyes opening to glow with the blue fire of K’sarul. The DM should check for surprise unless a Psychic
Ability check is successfully made by each player, due to the horrifying
spectacle of the animation of the M’rur. They will fight until killed and must
be burned after death to completely destroy them, or they will re-animate in 1
Turn.
M’rur HD: 1+3 HP: 8
each AC: 6 Movement: 6”
The bronze door is not locked, as the Shrine devotees have
never yet suffered intrusion and the passageway beyond it is also trapped (See
the Shrine of Gru’ganu description).
Statue
of Gru’ganu Aspect (S2)
This statue stands at the eastern end of the Outer Passage
of the Shrine of Gru’ganu. When it is examined the DM should read the following
description aloud:
“Before
your torches, set in a hewn alcove and mounted upon a round pedestal, stands a grotesque
statue, 7’ in height and 2’ in width. Carved from a roughly hewn cylinder of stone
is a crude figure with a humanoid body and a vulture like head. Its arms are crossed
with a hooked staff held at an angle. Under its bird feet, upon the round pedestal,
are carven a series of stylized eyes and ears. The eyes of this statue are set
with two giant red rubies, worth many Kaitars.”
The statue is a carved representation of an aspect of Gru’ganu,
and blocks the secret door to the Secret Cave. If the secret lever is activated
in the secret escape passage of the Shrine, the statue will pivot in place and
characters may squeeze around it to enter the cave. The ruby eyes, if pried
loose, are worth 200 Kaitars each. The secret door cannot be opened by any
other means than turning the lever in the hidden passage of the Shrine.
The
Shrine of Gru’ganu
The entry to this shrine is the bronze door of the outer passage
way. An “X” denotes the trap behind the bronze door, a falling stone which is
triggered by walking through the middle of the passage (Shrine devotes pass by
hugging the walls of either side of the passage and thereby avoiding the
trap.). Give a warrior, or any Pe Choi or Pygmy Folk character an Intelligence
Check to possibly discern the trap. The
falling stone will do d6 damage to the first character who treads the centern
of the passage (Dexterity Save is applicable).
If the stone trap beyond the Bronze door is triggered, it
will alert the Shrine occupants immediately and negate any surprise the party
might gain.
Once any characters enter the Shrine, read them the
following description.
“You
have entered a large, torch lit pillared hall, 50’ in length, east to west, and
25’ in width. The ceiling is almost 20’ high, and the large carven round pillars
run along the north and south walls, six in all. Directly to your left, against
the west wall, stands a 15’ statue of an ugly, Serpentine headed humanoid
holding a staff in its left hand and a long key in it’s right; the key is pointed
inward at a slight angle, towards the statues feet. At the eastern end of the
Hall a dais rises some eight feet above the hall floor, atop which is a stone
altar ascended by a broad light of ancient steps. Beside these steps on either
side sit two naked drummers, old men, beating out the tattoo you have heard since
entering the Shrine. They looked drugged. Atop the dais is a square altar, upon
which writhes a young nude woman, bound hand and foot. At the left side of the
altar, flanked by burning braziers, stands a black and purple robed priestess
with a huge, black feathered headdress. The hall is filled with celebrants of
some dark ritual about to take place, some robed in purple, others in garb of
war. To your horror, you realize that all are not truly alive.”
If, by some chance, the party has avoided the stone trap,
they will have the element of surprise.
The Shrine is filled by a number of acolytes being initiated
into the rites of Gru’ganu, the Priestess, two Q’ol (Serpent Folk) and three M’rur.
The party will have to fight the all for as soon as they notice the interlopers,
the Shrine attendees will attack. The DM should place the figures of these
celebrants roughly evenly throughout the hall. The drummers will not attack,
being under the influence of narcotics, but will play their drums endlessly as
the characters battle the Shrine keepers.
Acolytes HD: 1 HP: 1 Each AC: 9 Movement: 12”
Notes: The Acolytes are naked beneath their robes and bear
only daggers with which to fight- they have minimal fighting skills and each
will be slain by a single hit. They can only inflict a single point of damage
if they successfully hit, unless they roll a 20, in which case they do two
points.
M’rur HD: 1+3 HP: 7 Each AC: 6 Movement: 6’’
Q’ol HD: 1+1 H.P.: 7 Each AC: 2 Movement: 9”
Notes: The Q’ol will only fight as long as the party is
outnumbered. As soon as this is not the case, they will attempt to flee the
Shrine and hide within the tomb complex. They attack twice per round, once with
a poisoned weapon and once with a bite. If either of these hit, a savings throw
vs. poison must be made or death occurs in 1-4 rounds.
S’sunu hiHalal’lesh ,Priestess of Gru’ganu HD: 7 HP: 20 AC:
6 Movement: 12”
Notes: The Priestess is 7th level. S’sunu can fight
with a dagger as a last resort. She wears an Amulet of Hi-Guri, the Tomb Demon,
and bears and Eye of Contolling Thunru’u. (3 uses). She will try to cast spells
from the dais as long as the players are engaged with the Shrine celebrants,
but if this fails and she is attacked, she will try to escape the Shrine via
the secret passage in the South East Wall, but only after summoning Hi-Guri with
the Amulet. If she does summon Hi-Guri, the Demom will come forth from the
Crypt of the Noble Dead and within 1 Turn arrive in the Shrine to attack the
party. If S’sunu can get away she will flee through the secret door and
activate the lever to move the statue of Gruganu (S2) in east end of the Outter
Passage of the Shrine. There is a trap in this passage identical to that in the
passageway beyond the bronze door of Shrine. She will try to escape to the secret
cave and the ladder therein which leads top-side.
In running a battle with the Priestess involved, the DM
should use her spells as advantageously as he or she would if in her shoes. Her
spells are as follows:
Priestly Skills 1-7 Know 2 modern languages (Tsolyani native
language + Salarv’yani & Liv’yani) , know 2 ancient languages( Li’yani
& N’lyssa), Produce Light, Detect Evil/Good,
Cure Light Wounds, ESP, telepathy)
Spells: Curse (Lowers Attack Hit Dice of enemies for 1 Turn, -1), Dispel Good
(negates any spell cast
by a Stability follower within 20’ for 3 Turns), Shadows (send flickering shadows at a combatant
which lasts 3 Turns and can only be dispelled by a Light spell. Each party
member must save vs. spells or be blinded for 3 Turns, range 30’) Hands of Kra the
Mighty (Magic hands
grapple and squeeze victim-savings throw permitted, range 12”, damage: roll d6:
the result if the number of 6 sided dice thrown for damage.) Invsibility (renders her invisible for 3 Turns, +3
to savings throws, -2 to enemy attacks.
If S’sunu is able to flee (invisibly or otherwise), the
party will see her flee through the secret door. If captured, she will spew
forth venomous curses upon them and promises of retribution from the temples of
K’sarul and Gru-ganu, as well as from the gods themselves for desecrating the
Shrine. If killed, she will utter these curses with her dying breath. If taken to
the Antechamber of the Crypt of the Noble Dead, she can be forced to open the
door upon threat of death, which will cause her to use the Amulet.
There is no treasure to be found in the Shrine proper.
The nude victim on the altar is a clanless slave girl, quite
attractive, brought here for sacrifice. If rescued she will gladly become the servant
of any rescuer who claims her. Her name is T’rismu.
The great statue at the west end of the Shrine stands upon a
square pedestal. The crooked staff points inward between the statues feet and there
in the 3’ pedestal is a secret door which may be found by the usual means. It
appears as a square stone like any other in the pedestal but if pulled out, it
reveals a crawl space into the Shrine’s Treasure Room.
Treasure
Room
“Crawling
through the narrow space under the great idol, you hold forth your torch and
behold beyond it a square chamber, 15’ wide and 20’ long, with a ceiling only 6’
in height. In your torch light you see piles of golden Kaitars , glittering
gems, and silver and golden figurines…a magnificent
treasure fit for a king. Upon the walls are painted squat, ugly demons and
classical Tsolyani script. The painted demons, veiled in a pale yellow glow,
seem to stand guard over the hidden treasure, their painted yellow eyes still
luminous after passing centuries.”
The treasure in this chamber is worth 3,000 Kaitars.
There is, however, a light yellow mold dusting the walls and
chamber contents, indiscernible as such until anything is disturbed, in which
case a cloud rises which requires each player in the chamber to make a savings
throw vs. poison or suffer a wasting sickness which immediately saps 1-2 points
of Strength and will remove a point of strength everyday thereafter until a Cure
Disease is cast.
The Secret Cave
Once the party finds the secret passage behind S2, the
Statue at the end of the Outter Passage of the Shrine, read them following. (Note: The DM may have to alter the
description based on the actions of the Priestess, as to whether she is alive
and free and fleeing into the Cave. If the party has slain or captured her
before they enter the cave, this will not be necessary.If alive, she will attempt to scale the ladder which gives exit from the Cave.
“The
great statue at the eastern end of the outer passage of the Shrine has turned
backwards on it’s pedestal- beyond it, the alcove has opened as a secret door,
and a chill wind comes from the dark doorway, as does the sound of dripping
water. Squeezing yourselves around the idol and entering the door, your torch
lights illumine a large, natural cavern, the height of which extends some 35’.
It is roughly circular, how big you can’t tell from here, but at the edge of
your light, further back into the expanse, your fire light flickers and plays
upon a great pool of water which can only be dimly made out from the doorway. A
small flight of steps leads down to the sandy floor of the cave. The whole
place is dank, cold and smells of old wet stone. From some hole in the roof,
water trickles down and plops into the pool in a slow but steady drip that
echoes throughout the cavern.”
If the players explore the whole cavern, they will find it
to be roughly 45’ in circumference, with the great pool being about 20’ x 20’.
Into the west wall of the cave are set iron rungs which lead
30’ up to a trap door- this is the intended escape route of the Priestess, and
depending on where in his or her campaign the DM has placed this Tomb, it will
lead to either a wilderness location or a city surface. Wise players will not
go this way but exit the way they came or via the pool…
The Pool is a semi- circle- the edge nearest the cave’s
entrance is linear and does not appear wholly natural but bears evidence of
being ancient stonework, now long calcified and covered with layers of mineral
deposits. This feature seems to have a semblance of a small quay- the water is
cold and dark and about 10’ deep. If anyone dives into the pool and searches its
depths, in its center, on the bottom, will be felt a circular convex metal steel
plate some 12’ in diameter. Also, there will be found a circular iron valve set
in the side of the pool with the ancient stonework, about 6’ down from the
center of the ledge.
If the valve is turned it will release the iron plate’s
mechanisms which will cause the plate to drop, draining the pool. At this point
the party will hear deeply set machines clicking and grinding, as well as
sounds of whirring as the plate continues to drop away. It will drop down a 15’
circular shaft until it locks into a floor 35’ below the Secret Cave. An iron
ladder is in place from the edge of the hole in the pool’s bottom to the
chamber below where the iron plate has ended.
If players descend the ladder, the DM should read them the
following. This feature is not pictured on the map.
“Having
descended the iron ladder nearly 40’, in and of itself remarkable as to its
gleaming workmanship, you step down upon a strange floor in a circular, domed chamber
like nothing you’ve ever seen. The steel plate that dropped down into the floor
of this chamber lies in it’s center- around that plate lies a floor set with a
concentric pattern of 5’ squares. As you step down upon the square below the
ladder, it lights up with a pale green glow beneath your feet! Stepping from
square to square, you find that each square, which appear to made of some
translucent crystalline material, illuminates in this fashion and then goes out
when no one is standing on it. By these squares sufficient light is given with
each step, to reveal the spherical chamber- it’s walls seem all of gleaming
iron, with strange tubes and boxes adorning it here, there, and everywhere. In
the west wall of the chamber is an archway which leads to a narrow passageway.
Following this route, you travel some 20’ until you come out into another
spherical chamber of equal dimensions and similar features as the first, but in
this one the only exit, beside the way you just came, is a 15’ circular pit in
the floor which drops away into a seemingly bottomless shaft! To your utter
amazement, floating above the shaft at a height of some 6’ is a great, shiny
metal sphere only slightly smaller in circumference than the shaft it hovers
above, as if held in place by invisible strings of the gods! At the edge of the
pit, nearest the passageway you have just come through stands a strange cubical
protrusion with a sloped top. You see a strange pulsating green light upon the
pedestal’s top. The air around you seems to carry a slight humming noise,
almost just below the edge of hearing, but notable.”
This is a tube car station, and the floating sphere is a
tube car of the Ancients. If anyone approaches the pedestal and touches the
green light, they will hear a sudden hiss as a round door in the tube car’s
side opens and from its mouth a telescoping gangplank of metal will extend from
the tube to the pedestal, allowing boarding. If anyone enters, they find a
comfortable spherical space with consoles, seats and viewscreens. There seems
to be a main console with a slot and some controls, and slumped over this console
is a withered husk of a corpse, clutching in its hand a golden disc. The corpse is dressed in strange, rotting,
silvery garments and wears a strange round helm with a front visor.
The fact is that if any character inserts the golden disc
into the slot, it will activate the Tube car! The gangway will retract, the
door close, and the occupants will find themselves dropping away into the Tube Car
Shaft, bound for…where!!?
And from here, we end the adventure of the Restless Tomb and
leave it to the DM to decide what further adventures the hapless players have
unlocked upon the exciting world of Te’kumel!
Note: If the party are not sufficiently beaten down already and can stand it, the DM may wish to insert a water-creature encounter in the pool.
AFTERMATH: Whatever happens after their foray into the Restless
Tomb, the party will face repercussions if their identity is uncovered by the priests of K’sarul and Gru’ganu ; perhaps their impudence may even warrant even a visit
from the Knower of Secrets Himself….
THE END
