Beneath the Crypt
Prelude
Elsewhere:
Lord: Vrck is Dead!
Underling: Yesss!
Lord: Damn them!
Underling: But my lord..(slapped)
Lord: Why must I do everything myself!
Adventure Summary
The group, in the relative safety of safety of the gatehouse decide to investigate the manor house before going back to the masoeluem. Menzak feeling weak and sickly from his oozing wound from the encounter in the masoeleum, is cured by the power of Erik via Heidrek.
Entering the stone manor house, via stout double doors the group finds themselves in a large foyer. Investigating the nearby guard rooms and quickly eliminating the skeletons there the group moves on. Through one of the guard room they discover an armory with lots of old, decrepit weapons. A locked door leads to another room, but Haddath detects some sort of magick about the locked door and the group decides to wait to further investigate it.
Next the group ventures into the great hall. This expansive hall complete with large fireplace, impressive dining table and chairs features a tall catherdral ceiling with exposed rafters. The group briefly investigates the room, then moves on to the kitchen and cellar. Finding nothing of interest in the kitchen and cellar, they move back to the great room. Haddath, using his connection to the Shadow World, detects something evil in one corner of the room. Upon closer inpsection, the group spies a small pouch resting in the rafters. Ludwig, using a the table and a long pole knocks the pouch loose. However, a nasty wound appears on his chest. Heidrek suspecting some invisible evil about, quickly goes to the kitchen to get some flour. Using the flour to dust the imp, the group sends the evilspawn back to Hell. The pouch is found to contain 68 pp and magical circlet. Ludwing has his senashall, Haddath carry the goods.
The group next tries the eastern door out of the great hall, it leads to several guest rooms. In the process of returning to the Great Hall both Haddath and Rayad spot a secret door. After closer inspections and several attempts to open the door, the group spots a strange keyhole. Ludwig remarks the shape of the opening resembles the castle itself.
Next exiting the great hall via the western door, the group finds a locked door leading to a "King's" bedroom. While investigating the now rotting once expensive furniture, a wraith emerges from a closet. The group with their enchanted blades quickly kills the wraith. A secret panel in the closet reveals an opening leading to a passage way down.
The group heads down and after several hundred feet think they may be under the cemetary. It is soon confirmed that the group is in the tunnels connected to the masoeluem. Down a collapsed corridor, behind the corpses of two ghouls, the party spots a boot in the rubble. Excavating the body, Heidrek finds a Mighty Axe. The group plans to give the fallen guardsman a decent burial after the Rod has been retrieved.
Heading into a diamond shaped burial chamber the group notes a large sarcophugus, the large monstrous statues and two very large bookshelves. Upon entering the room the statues become animate and attack. The group quickly discovers that ordinary blades won't harm these magical creatures. However, lead by Menzak wiedling MageBane the group quickly kills the gargoyles. Upon investingating the sarcophogus the group finds two skeletal reavers and both Haddath and Ludwing get diseased wounds. After putting the undead down the group search the room. They find a Wizards spellbook, with some spells intact, and a water damaged diary of a Princess. All the group can make out in the diary is "Father's sacrifice.. Damn Crystal Rod.. Wizards.. accursed.. if only Nalcauzese had never come...". Searching the the undead and the sarcophogus the group finds a Castle shaped key, 3 vials, and priest scroll. A large sack in the sarcophugus contains 1500gp.
The group rests for a day, licking the wounds and thanks to Heidrek trek out again this time intending to use the Castle shaped key to see what lies beyond.
Heading down into the dungeon the group gets the feeling this area has no been recently visted by human life. Exploring one collapsed passage way the group gets trapped by some gray ooze. After some trial the group does manage to kill the corrosive beast, but not before it destroys one of Ludwig's non magical blades and damages Menzak's Magic chain mail.
They also discover a wizard's lab and while searching it a restless spirit begins throwing objects at the group, Rayad is struck, and overcome with fear flees back up to the manor house. Heidrek, being fleet of foot, quickly gets Rayad back to his senses.
Trying a different passage the group finds a portcullis, using the grey ooze to dissolve it a jermilane infested cell area is discovered. Not wishing to confront the devious, pesky creatures the party blocks up their tunnels and continues exploring.
Next entering an old store room, a pit trap catches both Menzak and Rayad. Almost instantly a score of giant rats attack them. The rest of the group thinking quickly use ropes to pull them out of danger. Using some oil from the storeroom the party kills most of the rats. Upon inspecting the smoke coming out of the storeroom, the group notices some of it going through the wall and discovers a motared up door leading to a spiral staircase down.
The group sensing they maybe close to the resting place of the Rod of Crystalline. The group finds a chamber, shaped like the castle with a pedestal and gold and crystal rod on it. However, as the group moves to retrieve it a Skeleton Warrior attacks, seemingly intent on killing Haddath. Rayad grabs the rod, Ludwing is overcome by fear and flees back toward the spiral staircase. However, two giant skeletons, with a heart of flame also join the attack. One breaks off after Ludwig. Who after a quick battle shatters the skeleton. The rest of the group however are not as lucky. The quick blades of Rayad and the strength of MageBane quickly send the Skeleton Warrior to its final rest. The group thinks the Circlet was what the Skeleton Warrior was after Haddath for. The giant skeleton however, reaches into its chest and hurls a fireball at the group. The fates were smiling, as only Haddath is struck down, but only unconscious. Some quick healing by Heidrek stablizes the critical Haddath. Rayad notices the Rod he has is obviously a fake, as it does not survive the fireball.
Finding a cavernous passage past where the Skeleton Warrior emerged, the group finds a large 8' hemisphere of pulsing silvery crystal with a rod, made entirely of a translucent, silvery crystal. Ludwig grabs the heavy rod, at which time the Rod, telepathically screams NO!. The hemisphere, cracks and grows dark as a dark shape takes form. The shape, nods in thanks, then its evil presence disappears in a flash. The Rod of Crystalline, imbuded with some magical intelligence informs that group that it just released an evil spirt, Nalcauzese. The rod then states that Ludwig is unsuitable, for its bearer and after a heated discussion, Heidrek takes up the Rod. The Rod insists on going out and finding and destroying this spirit. The Rod claims the spirit will search for a powerful wizard to posses and to use for is corporeal form.
The group returns to the surface to plot their next move.
Quotes
John: How many gamers does it take to change a lightbulb
Steve: How many ever it takes plus Dave jumping in.
Dave: I would have used that line but at the end of the meeting I had a small emotional outburst.
Joe: That will teach you to come out of the closet (to the dead wraith).
Joe: That thing was a feeb, why is everybody burned? (After killing Flaming Skeleton, not know the group was fireballed by the one they fought)
Steve: Hook him up to some strings.
Steve (to the Rod): You are a piece of crystal, you should not speak.
Steve: It's a rod of Loudly Might!
Spoils
1500 gp
68pp
10 gems @ 50gp each
Rod of Crystalline - Heidrek
Battle Axe, Magic - ? Heidrek
Scroll of Cure Disease, N. Poison, Slow Poison - Heidrek
2 Potions of Healing
1 Potion of Heroism
Menzak's Chain Mail reduced to +1 (Damaged by Grey Ooze)
Ring of Invisibility (last time, claimed by Haddath)Experience
Group Experience
Recovering the Rod, Monsters, Good Cooperation + 9,000 Individual
Player Bonuses Total Alexandros Did Not Attend 10,550 Haddath Using Detections: +500 22,450 Heidrek Good of Party: +800
Ideas, flour: +800
Good Spells: +1000
Hawk The slayer Quote: +40031,025 Ludwig Good Spells: +1000 Total: Ftr: 10,150
Mage: 11,950Menzak Clapper: +800 23,350 Rayad 24,475 William Did not attend 6,050