Session 04
General Summary
The Albioners returned once more to explore the Burial Halls, leaving the sanctuary of the twin
temples and heading up the western side of the valley. Their suspicion was rewarded as Colby
spotted a magical glyph trap inscribed on the lintle above the entrance into the Burial Halls.
Ermenred analysed it and declared it to be a more powerful variety than previously encountered
and said it was intended to curse its victim. Zandrill cunningingly summoned a magical monkey
and used it to set off the trap before it vanished again. However, this had alarmed sentries inside
and the sound of demonic chanting was heard. Ethelwulf dashed in to take a closer look and was
confronted by a wave of bloody skeletons emerging from the corrupted fountain to attack. He
stood steadfast and began smashing the foul undead, though many more poured past him and
engulfed the rest of the group. Then out of the darkness strode two fell creatures - priests of the
Demon Prince. They moved to flank Ethelwulf, thinking they had him in their clutches. Instead
what they'd done was line themselves up for one of Ethelwulf's trademark axe swings which
decapitated the pair of them with a single blow. Seeing this, a third priest, who had been lurking in
the font room, disappeared off into the darkness with Ethelwulf's taunts following him. There then
followed a steady battle to destroy the skeletons, which were no longer bolstered by the priests'
unholy powers. The fallen priests were checked and neither met the description of Sir Calmet,
neither did the third priest who had escaped. Ethelwulf took several unholy items from the fallen
priests. The group then moved through the corrupted font room, following the path taken by the
fleeing priest. By moving quickly they managed to avoid too many skeletons emerging from the
fountain.
Beyond, stairs led down to a large room full of opened sarcophagi. Beyond that was a room full of
opened stone coffins. Rat tracks were everywhere and the walls were holed with their tunnels. A
long corridor stretched off into the distance, with vaults and crypts lining both sides. At the far end
lay an evil red pulsing glow coming from a rune inscribed in the wall. It appeared similar to that
carved onto the fountain. A second corridor of crypts ran in parallel to the first one. It was very
similar except without the evil red rune. A strangely undesecrated side room lay off the room full
of rats. As the group entered, they felt a waft of calming peace and it seemed as though Thyr still
had some influence over that small part of the complex. The room simply contained four
undisturbed sarcophagi apparently containing priests of Thyr. An interesting effect was discovered
the room appeared empty when viewed from outside, though sounds could still be heard. Perhaps
this could be a hideout if needed. Leading back off the rat room was another great hall, as
thoroughly vandalised and despoiled as the rest of the complex. This connected back to the
fountain room. With all obvious areas explored the group retreated back to the entrance. Once
again they dashed past the fountain too fast for skeletons to emerge.
The group decided to revisit the areas through the hidden door near the entrance. Ethelwulf
carelessly opened the door without letting Colby check it first and was rewarded with a curse from
a glyph trap. Fortunately Ermenred was on the spot and able to dispel the magical effect before it
caused any harm. The group continued downwards, passing through areas previously explored but
alert for further traps or guards. Colby found another glyph trap inscribed on a door but was able
to scratch it out with the tip of his dagger and render it inert. The group were able to reach all the
way through to the ogre cavern without further incident. Beyond the ogre cavern lay a large
cavern with a wall of worked stone blocking off the far end. A wooden door, bound in iron and
warped by the damp, was set into the wall. This was shouldered aside revealing a room full of
stone sarcophagi. As Ethelwulf emerged, skeletons emerged from the sarcophagi and the animated
corpse of the ogre shuffled into sight. These corporeal opponents seemed easy enough opponents
but then floating into view came a far more imposing and disturbing adversary. It was an
insubstantial ghostly figure which sent a shiver down everyone's spines. Ermenred tentatively
identified it as a wraith. "How dare you disturb the rest of Draeligor?" it asked and leapt into
combat. After a tough and unnerving fight the foul creature lay dead. As he got a better look,
Ermenred decided it was in fact a wight. He also spotted that the wight's armour was enchanted in
an unholy manner so Ethelwulf took it.
The group had learned a valuable lesson - anything living they fought and killed could well be
animated and face them a second time. Therefore they spent several minutes hacking and
smashing their dead foes so they might not rise as undead again. A further room lay through a
doorway. This was darkened with a black marble dais. Atop the dais was an altar spattered with
blood. Behind it stood a tall statue of a foul abomination which could only be The Demon Prince.
Ermenred sensed a strongly necromantic aura from the statue. In their beaten up state the
Albioners had no heart to meddle in what could be a very dangerous area so instead decided to
leave the Burial Halls. On the way out they had an unpleasant surprise - the hidden door had been
shut behind them and as Colby opened it he was cursed by a glyph painted on the outside.
Fortunately the group were able to return to the twin temples without further mishap. There
Ethelwulf retrieved all the unholy items he'd collected - unholy water, robes of The Demon Prince,
the enchanted armour of Draeligor. Ermenred then performed a ceremony in praise of Muir, Thyr
and Pelor and all the items were sacrificed. At this, Colby felt much better as the curse on him was
removed. Before it had been destroyed, Ermenred examined the enchanted armour and found rune
writing on the inside: "Draeligor, Priest of Rappan Athuk". Ermenred said he had heard of Rappan
Athuk before. It is a name of legend and of dread. Supposedly it was the name of the unholy place
where the priests of The Demon Prince built a huge temple, and in fact was the place where they
originally opened a Gate to allow The Demon Prince into Albion to wreak havoc within the lands
during the Time of Terror a thousand years ago. No one knows where Rappan Athuk was built, or
even if it exists any more.
Report Date
10 Apr 2024
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