NOTE: On this level, the players may encounter living Medarian Sun Knights. These were the élite assault troops of the Medarian armies, equipped with the best of everything. Most of them were potent sorcerers as well as mighty warriors. Those who remain in the area of the timestop spell are survivors of a group that teleported into the crag during the battle before the razing of the citadel. They are fanatically determined on the death of all unbelievers, and will fight to the death. They neither give nor expect quarter. Their first priority will always be the destruction of the priests of Ventanach Cruach, but anyone who gets in their way will be attacked. Players who simply try to get out of the way will only be attacked in passing - even after 2 millennia, the Sun knights are still in a hurry.
1
Stairs up to the Teleportal and 4th level - These stairs are wide and
ornate, being carven of marble shot through with gold. The bannisters
are made of black granite in the shape of winged warriors standing
shoulder to shoulder. At the top of the stairs is an ornate arch
surrounding a mirror. This mirror is in fact a teleport which once
gave access to the processional outside the great hall in the
vanished castle above, so that worshippers could use the great fane
without entering the sacred maze below the castle. Touching the
mirror will teleport up to 8 linked people to the site of the
vanished processional - which since the disappearance of the castle
is unfortunately 10 M above the ground! The small passage and
stairway to the right give access to the crypts of the 4th level.
2
Antechamber to the Great Fane - This room has obviously been the
scene of fighting. Molten stone has run from great holes in the walls
and ruined armour and weapons litter the floor. The flesh that
occupied them has long since vanished - except in the area of the
timestop spell, where blue robed corpses and a few strangely armoured
figures lie in their death embrace - their blood still crimson upon
the floor. Also in the area of the timestop spell are heavy hangings
still intact, showing the grim figure of Ventanach Cruach flying
surrounded by birds of prey.
2
Antechamber to the Judges hall - This room was once host to a horde
of scribes, pages and servants. Now the ruins of desks and seats form
a jumble of obstacles. Any passage through this room will raise a
cloud of choking dust
4
The judges Hall - In this room the priests gathered to deliberate on
matters affecting their order. The perimeter of the room is girded by
three tiers of seats and in the centre of the room is a raised podium
for the speaker. Both seats and podium are richly carved with scenes
of flying creatures, as well as flying men and even a strange-looking
flying castle. The seats are of dark stone, the cushions that once
covered them having long since gone to dust.
5
The great Fane of Ventanach Cruach - The great temple of Ventanach
Cruach was a marvel - carven into the heart of a mountain and then
gilded and decorated with fragile and precious stonework. The floor
is of polished tiles, each bearing the likeness of a raven in gold,
the walls decorated with ornate carvings of marble and white jade
celebrating the winged lord in his many deeds and 700 battles. The
ceiling is a huge mosaic of enamel and precious metals depicting
Ventanach Cruach flying above his worshippers. From flagstaffs near
the roof hang the flags and pennons of defeated foes. But now, the
walls are scarred by battle magic, and outside the timestop spell,
the flags have gone to dust. Within the sphere of the spell however,
there is a scene of frenzied battle. Three figures in extraordinarily
heavy, baroque armour fight with blazing weapons against 10
blue-robed priests. However, to any observer outside the spell, after
3 seconds they jump back to their original positions, and attack
again.
6
Collapsed chamber - This room is filled with rubble from a fault that
collapsed under the impact of battle. Any characters who collapsed
the floor in room 9, level 3 will end up here - buried in 50-300 (d6)
kg of rubble. If unable to lift it, they will be trapped.... The door
out of this room into 7 can only be found with a PER roll (at +3 if
actively searching). It opens into 7, so can be easily opened, but
doing so will precipitate a small rockslide.
7
Stairs up to Balconies - Overlooking the great fane is a series of
stepped balconies that run in a U shape from these stairs down over
the main entrance, and up the facing wall to opposite these stairs.
The balcony is 4 M wide and has a waist high rail and a series of
arches separating it from the body of the hall. It is 5 metres down
to the floor of the great hall. The balcony is unadorned and empty
apart from 3 archers over the main entrance, trapped within the
timestop spell.
8
Storage room for Musical instruments - Among the ruins of a variety
of collapsed musical instruments (many of obscure use) are several in
reasonable condition - an upright xylophone - whose tubes are made of
platinum (total value/weight 120 GP/3 Kg), a series of small drums on
a tarnished metal frame, made from human skulls, and a variety of
large metal horns, with varying degrees of corrosion. In one corner
is a silver skull (total value/weight 80 GP/4 Kg) with a hole through
it. If suspended on a cord and whirled, it emits a moaning roar and
acts as a Missile deflection spell (all missiles, 1 hex area effect,
requires gestures[swinging] throughout). This instrument
protected the other musicians when they went into battle with the
order.
9
Centre of the timestop spell - In the angle of the passage lie the
bodies of 5 of the high priests, who, despairing of stopping the
defilement of their sanctuary cast the great timestop spell to trap
their foes - putting into it all of their remaining life-force. Above
their bodies there is a pulsing sphere of light - the centre of the
spell. If this is disrupted (by the soul shield, for instance) then
all those currently held by the spell will be freed.....
10
Preparatory rooms - This large room was once divided by folding
screens and held costumes and props for the performance of both
religious and secular performances. Now the room is filled with
smoke, blurring the eyes and cutting at the lungs. The room is filled
with shattered detritus, including a number of blue-clad bodies and
in places, flames are beginning to lick. In one corner of the room is
a badly wounded Sun Knight. He has but two BOD left after his
sorcerous duel with the priests, but he is stalking carefully through
the wreckage, looking for more victims.
11
Auditorium - This is where the performances were given. Stone seats
rise in semicircles up to the vaulted ceiling, which is carven and
painted to resemble a starry vault, making the amphitheatre seem
outdoors. On the upper tiers stands a Sun Knight, but close
examination (PER at -1) shows a glistening coating of ice all over
him. He is quite dead, having been frozen by one of the priests who
met his end in room # 10. All his magic is gone, since he was hit
with a magic draining spell before his demise.
12
Priests' preparation room - In this room waits one of the priest's
attendants - a sturdy youth who acts as animal handler. He is dressed
in a short blue tunic and hawkmask and is armed with a short sword
and shield, although his stat.s are only those of a normal. He is
waiting for the outcome of the battle outside, but knowing what his
chances would be against the Sun Knights has prudently concealed
himself among some robes hanging from a rack. Behind a large table
are his charges - two Greatfangs.
These are made even more dangerous by the addition of coats of plates
(DEF 8) which cover their torsos and location 3 on their heads. If
anyone other than a priest enters the room, they will attack, and he
will remain in hiding until an opportunity to strike from behind
occurs. In the room are a dozen sets of ceremonial robes, liberally
woven with silver thread, and complete with silver leaf-covered
hawkmasks. On the table is a heavy damask table cloth (3 Gp), five
fine silver ewers and vessels for ceremonial ablutions (5 Gp each)
and an enormous gold-clasped book containing descriptions of various
rituals (weighs about 15 Kg). This mainly deals with rituals for
attracting the attention or blessing of the winged lord and would be
dangerous for any novice to attempt. However the book, brilliantly
illuminated, would be worth 100 Gp to an antiquarian - which includes
most mages.
13
Stairs down to Level 6 - Well, what else do you need to know? An INT
roll at -4 at this point will note that the stairs are much narrower
than those above - as though built for less traffic.
14
Temple storerooms - There is little of interest here. The materials
stored in these rooms was largely perishable and the rooms are filled
with irregular mounds comprised of mouldering barrels, boxes and
unidentifiable stuff. Each room has a 10 % chance to yield something
of 1/2-5 gp value - gold thread from vanished robes, lanterns,
alabaster jars (full of dried gunk) etc.
