25th day of the Thaw, 519 AE. (11-Apr-2026)
Nearing the end of the Thaw the weather turned windy with flurries of snow, yet was tolerable and in keeping with the season. The Ashwater had fully melted and flowed unhindered into the Gulf of Bones. The preceding week remained generally cool with light snow. Overall, the temperature rose and some days were quite balmy.
Following their return to town a week earlier the group learned that Velric had indeed entered Thorneford, accompanied by his dozen knights. After his entry he had paused for a goodly time on the road, simply staring at the Shrine of the Gods, before continuing upon his way and entering Castle Thorneford. Subsequent gossip told of him attending services at the Light of Thalar church and engaging the Lightbearer there in discussion, which seemed unusual for a representative of the Old faith. Edran Vayel, head priest at the shrine to the Thousandfold Host, grew concerned that the man may cause trouble. Dimrock shared this information with his friends when next they met. The group realised that Velric arrived by road, which was highly unusual for the time of year. The only conclusion they could reach was that he had visited other settlements.
Jewel invested time and a small amount of coin in discovering the shape of the local criminal networks. After several days she made contact with a human male in the Drunken Goose who called himself Jorath. This man claimed to have "contacts", including those who buy and sell without asking questions and without keeping records. The kind of people who can also provide greatly discounted goods - often of dubious origin, repute or legality. Enquiring after a magical weapon, Jewel learnt that such items are rare and fetch prices upwards of 1,000 crowns.
Kratos met a squire from Thorneford keep named Cadbryn, having some interesting discussions about swords, other weapons and their acquisition. Several days later he engaged in a friendly conversation with Rowena Millen of Millen's Herbs. She mentioned that she had some lesser herbal potions of healing in stock. Not as powerful as the strong draughts she sells at 50 crowns each, but costing only 10 crowns per draught.
Lyra studied the items recently retrieved from the crypt the group had been exploring, under the guidance of Althirion Quell. She learnt that one of the items, a silver ring, is enchanted. However, the item resisted their attempts to discern the nature of its magic. Althirion identified all the items collected thus far as artifacts of the ancient Snakefolk empire of Zareth-Ka.
Dorcus spent her time resting and drinking. A wise investment in the barbarian's mind!
Meeting up towards the end of the week the group discussed all that had happened and the finer points of having their adventuring company chartered. They considered reports from at least three different groups of Thorneford folk that small groups of mounted orcs had been spotted in the area. These horse-riding orcs seem to have been watching the area and at least two reports describe the "crimson maw with jagged fangs" symbol associated with the Bloodmaw Horde.
The following day a ship arrived at the river mouth and a squad of four adventurers disembarked. Apparently these were members of a larger chartered adventuring company called the Gilded Banner. Our heroes immediately became concerned at the prospect of Lewel selling the newcomers the location of the tomb they have been exploring. The adventurers reprovisioned, gathered their gear and set out for the site early the next morning.
Reaching the rockslide entrance without incident the companions entered the main passageway. Advancing with care they discovered that the areas they had previously investigated hadn't been altered or disturbed. Coming to the great Zareth-Ka idol the group secured a rope to it and climbed down into the unexplored tunnel below.
The passage started claustrophobically narrow, but immediately expanded to a broad corridor twenty feet across. Lyra quickly spotted a concealed door on the northern wall and Dimrock discerned how to open it. That hidden passage led to an old, dusty guard chamber. The furniture and other contents had rotted to fragments centuries before. Yet the group was able to salvage two exquisitely wrought hooked polearm heads, inlaid with precious metals, that may prove of some value.
Returning to the main passageway the group soon learnt that it opened into the western-most wall of a large eight-sided chamber. The room was originally built with a wide pit in its centre, which had filled with the same stream of water that eroded the floor beneath the Zareth-Ka idol. Six of the octagonal chamber's walls contained grey stone doors, with the southwestern-most wall containing no door, but a corridor leading into the dark. Jewel decided to probe the pool with a long pole. At this disturbance two mummified hands ran up the pole and attacked our heroes. After the group made short work of the things, Jewel tried probing the pool again, bumping into some unknown object. Fixing one of the hooked polearm heads to the pole, she managed to hook... something and haul it up from the water. The object proved to be a mummified Snakefolk head, gibbering and screaming silently at them. Jewel tossed the thing back into the pool and the group turned their attention to the room's exits.
Deciding the open southwest passage presented the greatest potential threat the group entered it, Dorcus leading the way. After a short distance the corridor opened into a rectangular room holding eighteen clay statues of Snakefolk warriors. Toppling them with the long pole caused a number to shatter, but produced no discernible danger so Dorcus entered and smashed the remainder. Searching the rubble, the group found nothing of value or use. Not until the southwestern-most corner was searched, uncovering a trapdoor. They carefully opened the trapdoor to avoid triggering traps or other danger, revealing iron rungs leading downwards. Jewel and Lyra climbed down, employing all stealth, to discover where it led. The bottom of the shaft connected to a short passage running southwards, that ended in the outline of a door. Jewel and Lyra worked carefully to quietly open the door a crack. Beyond they spied a large stone chamber, lined with columns and a floor scattered with very lifelike statues. Some statues intact and others broken, pieces of statue here and there. One statue directly outside the secret door seemed to be of a bat, but had shattered after falling from some height. At this point the two scouts chose to return to the party and report what they had discovered.
Meanwhile the rest of the group had moved on to investigate the southern-most door in the large octagonal chamber. Only to find an apparently incomplete room, with some walls rough-cut and corroded tools on the ground.
Meeting up with Jewel and Lyra, back in the large chamber, the group moved on to investigate the southeastern door. The short passage beyond opened into a room containing three beds, some rotten shelving, numerous scrolls and a table atop which stood a forearm-length silver-and-emerald snake god icon. Most of the scrolls crumble to the touch but Lyra is able to salvage several of them, thinking they may be of value to Althirion. They take the icon with them.
Returning yet again to the octagonal room they opened the eastern-most door next. A short way beyond this door stairs descended more than forty feet downwards. Dorcus started down the stairs, but after a couple of steps the stairs all pivoted into a slide and spikes sprang forth at the bottom. Dorcus slid down, cutting herself on the spikes, yet narrowly avoiding serious injury. She found herself in another hexagonal room, identical in size and shape to the one at the top of the stairs. However, this room's walls had no doors but were instead hung with ancient shields. Rather than a large pit in the centre stood a large stone statue of a giant cobra-like snake person, which immediately advanced to attack the unfortunate half-orc! Hefting her great two-handed sword Dorcus moved to confront the construct, but with one mighty blow it knocked her to the ground. Unconscious and bleeding profusely, things looked grim for the barbarian. Unable to see the statue but witnessing Dorcus' collapse, the party quickly utilized ropes to descend the stairway-turned-slide. Dimrock and Kratos were able to reach Dorcus, with Dimrock using one of his precious orisons to heal her and Kratos standing guard. Narrowly avoiding being struck by the great stone brute the trio withdrew to the stairwell, to discover it was too narrow for the monstrosity to enter! From there the team peppered it with arrows until it was defeated. Noting that the great twenty foot wide gap in the eastern wall of this chamber drops off into a deep chasm, with sturdy stone paths running north and south, the group agreed to return to the first octagonal room above.
Opening the northeastern door next the group found a short passageway that led into a room containing a sarcophagus and some clay grave goods. Approaching with care the room seemed safe enough and Kratos pushed back the lid of the stone coffin, discovering a snake-folk body within wrapped in grave cloths, seeping some kind of dark, jelly-like fluid. The thing immediately struck at him, hitting his face and causing immediate burning pain. After a barrage of attacks the creature collapsed and its cloths flattened out as the fluids within turned watery. Finding only more clay grave goods withing the stone coffin, the companions moved on to the next door.
While preparing to open the northern-most door in the octagonal room a three foot long spider dropped from the ceiling onto Lyra and attacked her. The heroes quickly dispatched the arachnid and opened the door, this time finding a passageway blocked by a collapsed roof. Yet the cave-in was not complete and beyond they could see a figure wrapped in burial clothes gargling, roaring and hammering at the stones preventing it from attacking the objects of its anger. Behind the creature they spied another sarcophagus and stopped to consider. Understanding that they could probably clear away sufficient rubble to pass through in about ten minutes, the group decided instead to simply close the door and move on.
Tentatively opening the northwestern and final door, Lyra saw a short, clear passage that ended in a chamber containing yet another sarcophagus. Beyond this she spied a large, round plate of metal hanging upon the wall. With no danger or resistance apparent she stepped forward... only to feel a solid "click" under her foot. As if in slow motion she watched the metal disk glow and discharge a massive bolt of lightning her way. Whilst the deft elf managed to avoid the brunt of the blast, the electrical discharge was enough to stop her heart. She fell to the ground, motionless. The party quickly dragged her out of the room, closed the door and Alira used a healing orison to revive her just in time.
Feeling that they had pressed their luck far enough on this expedition, the companions decided to leave the tombs for the time being. Part way through their withdrawal a large tremor shook the place and they heard a sound as of massive chains being dragged across stonework.
Continuing onwards they began climbing up the rope left secured to the large idol. When half their group had climbed free, the rearward portion of the group was approached by eight strange bipedal creatures. These three foot tall potato-headed humanoids looked like the result of a wizard magically crossing goblins with some kind of fungi. Most carried pointed sticks as weapons, however one carried a "spear" made of several forks tied to the end of a stick. Apparently not speaking any language known to the party, the things communicated hunger by pointing to their mouths and stomachs. Throwing them several rations resulted in a number of the creatures scampering back down the corridor. Dorcus threw marbles to the remaining creatures, which they snatched up in glee before retreating.
Deciding that the risk of the Gilded Banner delving into the crypts was too high, our heroes decided to set up camp nearby. Choosing a place where they could guard the entrance to the crypts, they made camp.
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