1
Entry to the Crypts - These stairs give access to the third level.
The walls are carved with bas-reliefs of cavorting skeletons
celebrating the triumph of death. At the base of the stairs are a
dozen skeletons. They will draw aside to line the walls for any
bearing or following the coffin from the crypt cathedral above, but
will attempt to turn back or slay any others.
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The skeletons are armed with a variety of hand weapons doing 1 1/2d6 damge with STR and have medium shileds, giving them +2 DCV |
2
Tomb - All the tombs except those marked are currently empty. They
were used to hold the bodies of the fallen, while the minions of the
Tomblord (the fleshworms) did their work. Once they had devoured
corpse clean, the bones were taken below to the Ossuary and the
burial sacrifices became the property of the priests of Crom Cruach.
In this tomb, however lies the body of a warrior slain in a battle
with the invading Medarian forces before the investment of the
fortress. His determination to defend this castle has trapped his
spirit here to do battle with invaders. His stat.s are
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He is dressed in the familiar blue cloak, eagle helmet and ornate chain armour. He is armed with a warhammer (1d6+1 HKA, +1 Stun) and a medium shield. None of his equipment is magical, but all of it is high quality (although the cloth and leather will collapse into dust as soon as he starts to move. If "killed", so will he. His hammer is inlaid with gold and blue enamel in the form of a flying eagle (double normal sale value). Unlike a normal zombie, he is animated by his own ghost and so can speak - although only in a sibilant hissing, due to the dessication of his body. He is not given to much in the way of dialog, though - his only motivation is to expel intruders. |
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3
Tomb - This tomb was empty but used as storage place for extra
skeleton servitors - There are 7, identical to those in room 1 on
this level.
4
Tomb - In this tomb is another warrior laid to rest as the fighting
drew nearer - both he and his equipment have corroded into a mass of
dry and rusted material, the whole lot blanketed in a fine grey mold,
which is fortunately entirely harmless.
5
Tomb - In this tomb a Medarian warrior lies face down in his baroque
plate armour. The heavy suit did not help him when teleporting into
the crag, as he misjudged his distance. Although the spell shifted
him safely to this chamber, the strain was too much for his heart.
His armour is covered inside with corrosion from his rotting, but is
basically sound. He lies on a "Darkbright Lance" (q.v.) with 6
charges still remaining
6
Tomb - The door to this tomb is shattered outward, and inside lies
another Medarian Knight. Unlike his comrade in the tomb next door, he
survived a mis-teleport, shattered the door, but had his attack cut
short by a priest with the presence of mind to teleport some
fleshworms into his armour. As a result, his armour is not too bad
inside. In the passage lie several of his victims - now little more
than scraps of bone and leathery skin. His own corpse has been
scavenged of all its loose gear.
7
Tomb - In this tomb, lies a body under a shroud of grey mold, similar
to that in 4. It has decayed away to little more than a slight lump
on its stone bed. Hidden beneath the mold is a shining crystal about
the size of two fists, placed in the corpses' hands. If the holder
gazes into it, any images they imagine will be displayed within. With
effort, these images can then be projected (Images, 2 hex radius area
affect, - 2 to PER roll, at 8 END)
8
Tomb - This tomb is occupied by the last of the priests trapped on
this level. He sits facing the door on the corpse slab, his skin
shrivelled to a mummy-like appearance. Before he died he set up a
little surprise for violators of his tomb. There is a teleport spell
set up with a trigger - when the threshold is crossed, it will
activate and teleport the stone corpse slab into the door way.
Whoever triggers the trap will be subject to an attack at OCV 5 (if
they are not dodging or similar their DCV will be 0!) that does 4d6
HKA - and incidentally seals the doorway with a 1000 kg stone
block.
9
Temple of the Worm God - The walls of this temple are faced in dark
stone carved in disgusting high relief. The first section of the
walls shows decomposing corpses, the second skeletons, both depicted
in attitudes of worship and the third, a pattern composed of
intertwining worms. The temple is dominated by a huge throne made of
bones cunningly interwoven - fortunately empty - up against the far
wall from the entrance. Before this is a corroded iron cage hanging
from the ceiling on stout chains, from which drip squirming
maggot-like creatures - the servitors of the god. Below the cage is a
pit into which they fall, now mostly filled with noisome decay. This
gives the temple and its environs an awful charnel odour. The cage is
in fact a terrible item of torture - for inside it is a man. Ancient
spells protect him from aging and allow his flesh to regenerate
almost any injury - but this has made him an eternal feast for the
fleshworms placed in him by the long vanished priests, who used him
as a source of worms. The man has lost any trace of sanity now - if
released from the cage he will simply attempt to flee, and attack
anything that tries to prevent him. His stats are:
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In the pit below his cage some mouldering bones are visible. These are the remains of one of the priests of Crom Cruach who lingered too long, was trapped by the attack and chose this way out. Buried in the corruption below the cage is his regalia - a silver skull mask (100 sp), heavy silver bracers (45 sp each) and an iron staff (which unlike the jewellery is uncorroded). The staff is a plain iron pole with a lead worm curling its length and the worm's questing head forms the head of the staff. The staff gives its wielder several benefits - it has a 10 point EC conferring a sense that detects undead with a PER roll at range, it confers a mindlink with one (intelligent) undead at a time, and it confers 10 points of power defense. The Fleshworms will attack any suitable host that comes within 1", and are described here.
10
Upper Ossuary - This room is piled with human bones, stacked floor to
ceiling so thickly that only a path through the middle, just wide
enough to admit a single person, remains. The stairs lead down to
11.
11
Lower Ossuary - This room is packed with bones like the upper
ossuary, although not as thickly. Stairs lead down to the 5th
level.
