The  Lost Tomb

From Lexicanum

The Chaos Storm

Returning from another delivery for their Patron, the merchant Dobbas, in Kariss. Engarde, Trent and Shantar were crossing the grasslands heading back to wards Menii. It was a beautiful sunny day with a soft breeze blowing through the long grass, Trent and Shantar were plodding along in the wake of Shantar as he rode when suddenly they noticed what looked like storm clouds rolling in from the  west. Not liking the look of the green bolts of lightning  sparking from the storm front, they upped the pace looking for some cover – which was scant in the open grasslands.  As the wind rose around them, Shantar spotted what looked like a copse on a small hillock about half a mile away and began running towards it. Engarde made the trees easily, but Shantar and Trent were still a hundred yards or so short when hailstones began lashing at them with unnatural force.  As they made the trees and Shantar pulled a tarpaulin out of his backpack as some cover, they noticed the side of the hillock had partially collapsed and there appeared to be a void within. Things then got even worse as a lightning strike nearby caused the grass to catch fire with an eerie green glow.

Engarde indicated  that inside the mound might present better cover, especially for his spooked horse, and they cautiously headed in. Within they found that the hillock was indeed hollow and, more than that a cracked stone doorway within led to a set of steps cut into the bedrock. There was some debate about whether to explore further, but when Trent mentioned the possibility of treasure, Shantar led the way. Trent lit a torch and followed, and Engarde cautiously led her horse down the narrow stairway  to a passageway below.

At the bottom Shantar lit a candle and moved along the passageway – almost immediately falling down a pit! Once his friends had retrieved him, they moved on - managing to leap across the top of the pit. Trent moving cautiously,  spotted another trap about ten yards further down, which Engarde managed to disable. Beyond the passageway opened out into what looked like a natural cave that had been widened and the walls worked and smoothed. The floor was scattered with rusted metal debris some of which looked like implements of torture. There were two zombies in the room which were swiftly dealt with. There was a door in the far wall which Shantar discovered was trapped with a rune  of Kakatal when a gout of flame jetted out at him which he fortunately managed to dodge! They disabled the trap by lobbing a metal sphere at it - they found several amongst the debris. They then discovered that he door had swollen shut in the damp, but Trent and Engarde managed to prise it open.

The room beyond,  had fully worked walls adorned with the octagon of chaos, the north and south walls also had doors, which they discovered were false – after dealing with the skeletons that guarded this room! For a while they puzzled over their next move before Shantar noticed that the upper central arrow in the octagon of chaos in the western wall was elongated slightly, seeming pointing at something above. Standing on Trents’s shoulders, he spotted a trapdoor in the ceiling  and eventually managed to lift it clear. Hauling himself up, he helped Trent and Engarde through into what looked like a natural cave.

The cave was bisected by a channel from which they could hear water rushing far below. Fortunately the channel was spanned with an albeit  precarious-looking rock bridge which was lit by strange witch-lights. They crossed  the bridge somewhat gingerly.

 On the far side was a black stone bier carved  with strange runes. Trent was first to approach, noticing that the stone block appeared to have a lid carved into it. With Engarde’s help he began trying to lift it. As he did an unearthly piping sound was head and a ghostly figure , clad in archaic looking armour bearing a greatsword that glowed with eldritch runes manifested from within.

As they battled the ghostly warrior they felt the cold touch of the grave in their souls with every hit, but eventually the party proved too powerful for the ancient spirit and  it faded to nothingness, leaving them free to loot it’s tomb.

Within the sarcophagus they found the ancient warriors remains, still clad in its ancient armour. The warrior’s greatsword was broken in  three pieces, but the jewelled hilt looked tempting!

They also found four jars containing some ancient bronze pieces, a silver torque scribed with Melnibonean runes, and a gold ring  shaped like a dolphin that seeped water constantly.