Project - Cairn Hills - The Bandits Retreat - Part 2

Project - Cairn Hills - The Bandits Retreat - Part 2

1).

This room lost its original roof (a heavy stone slab) centuries ago and the bandits replaced it with beams of rough board covered with tarps then dirt. The walls rise 8 feet to the north and west and 10 feet to the east and south, but the western wall props up the roof an extra 2 feet with stone blocks and wooden planking. A lookout post is kept in the upper left and lower left corners of the room where a bandit can stand on a sturdy table and peer out through a gap in the boards. From the outside these gaps are obscured by weeds and stones with dirt heaped againt the planks to make it less noticeable that there is a chamber under the dirt of the plateau. The jobs is reasonably well done but any searching of this area will reveal this and all other plank covered chambers of the tomb complex.

The center twenty feet of the north wall and part of the roof can be opened to allow the entrance of animals and wagons. Room 1). acts as a stable for the bandits horses and draft animals. It normally has at least one wagon that the use for hauling supplies or loot if they have been successful in a raid or ambush of a caravan.

The room will contain at least 4 bandits whether the bulk of the raiders are out or not. The number of mounts varies between 4 horses and 2 draft animals at minimum to over 24 horses when the brigands have returned.

The guards will usually have one person watching during the day but they no longer bother keeping a watch at night.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Bandits Retreat - Part 1

Project - Cairn Hills - The Bandits Retreat - Part 1

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tombs, barrows, vaults and graves litter the Cairn Hills. The Bandits Retreat is one such that has long ago been looted and desecrated. Now it is home to Osgar's Band, a group of dangerous and succesful brigands.  

The old tomb complex sits on a small hill surrounded by low valleys and dozens of other rolling hilltops.

Sections of the old tomb Rooms 1-9 have been opened to the elements. Once they were filled with debris but in centuries past tomb robbers dug away the fallen earth and rock and scraped down to the tiles in search of gold and loot.

Osgar and his men have covered these chambers and passages with wooden roofs and tarps then dirt and light rock shoveled atop them. The work was poorly done by captives and slaves and heavy weights from horse or wagons runs the risk of collapsing them. The chambers are only ten feet high so injury has a greater chance for those below or any horses that might fall in. 

There is a reasonable chance that anyone seeing the covered chambers or walking across the crude roofs will notice the flatness and uniformity of this area as oppossed to the surrounding hilltop.

The original entrance to the Tomb complex is a chamber further east on the map than Room 9 and is through a doorway crafted to look like a natural rock. All of the Rooms in areas 1-9  have trapdoor entrances and ladders except for Room 1 which has a hidden sloping entrance at the north wall and a double wide trap door to allow horse or mounts or cattle to be led inside.

The Brigands keep a guard post hidden under tarps near the original entrance and can see all of the surrounding hilltop and anyone approaching. In the past they kept guard post on nearby hilltops and patrols day and night but since they have never been troubled in this out of the way location they have grown lax and rarely bother with any extra guards or patrols.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 8 End

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 8  End

11.

This area represents the hall west of the entrance to Room 10. 

The walls are plastered and in relatively good repair. They appear to tell a story. Starting from the entrance to Room 10 they show Flan warriors in chariots and afoot fighting Elves in green leather armor. The elven warriors are mainly archers and they take a severe toll on the Flan. As the Hall turns north the walls show a woodland glade with burning forest around it. The bodies of many Elves and Flan are scattered about. A group of Flan in heavy armor face a party of Elves who bow before them. At the head of the Eleven group is a beautiful Elven woman whose hands are stretched out while a Flan with a crown puts chains upon her wrists.

As the Hallway turns west again the Hall shows on one wall the Eleven woman holding a bloody knife in one hand an the head of the crowned Flan. On the other wall it shows a pyre with the crowned Flan's body on top while in the background the Elven woman appears to be dragged into an opening in the side of a hill.

As the players reach the sealed entrance to Room 13 they see 2 armed and armored figure bearing axes. These two mumified Flan warriors will attack if they are attacked or if anyone tries to unseal the chamber to Room 13.

12.

This long Hallway has its plaster heavily worn and broken. The roof has cracks in many places that leak a steady patter of small debris. The floor is covered in a layer of small stones and dirt, but is otherwise quite safe.

13. Aelfflead's Tomb Chamber

This chamber is surprisingly barren and unadorned. The walls to east and west are lined with bodies chained to the walls, a dozen to each side. They are dressed in what was once fine clothing. To the west are the bodies of a dozen women, to the east a dozen men. 

As the party enters they begin to move toward the center of the room. They wear iron collars with chains attached to them. The chains play out from the wall with a grinding clank of rusting metal set into motion. When each side nears the center of the room the chain pulls tight and stops  them just out of arms reach from each other. The bodies, dry and desicated, reach pitiously out toward but cannot reach those opposite.

One of the female bodies wears a pair of Boots of Elvenkind.

At the north of the room is a dias with a throne upon it. The throne is made of some type of thorned briar and the figure on the throne is pierced dozens of times with sharp dagger length thorns. From a distance she appears to be a beautiful  Elven woman (identical to the pictures in the Hall at area 11). As the players approach she twists and turns in apparent agony. The beautiful face is strangely frozen, her limbs stiff and frozen.

Within twenty feet the players may be able to detect that she wears a mask of some type, ceramic, porcelin, such as some rich child's doll might possess. Her limbs are similarly constructed. If the mask is removed her face is a horrid visage of rotted flesh, sunken-eyed and broken toothed. Her limbs have been removed and replaced with the sculpted imitations of arms and legs. 

Aelfflaed cannot speak but moans out a wordless plea for release.

The mask and limbs are quite valuable but if seen by Elves from Celene evokes a strong reaction. The story of Aelfflead is still told among the Elves of Celene and inspires a strong dislike for humans Flan or not.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 7

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 7

8. 

This corridor is partially block by falling stone. It can only be used by crawling over the debris. There is a 1 in 6 chance per person per 10x10 square of travel that loose stone will hit the player for 1d6 damage.

9. The Earth Room

The walls of this room show scenes of farmers plowing a field, men working in a mine, and great caverns beneath the Oerth. The floor is comprised of loose dirt as if it were a freshly plowed field. Anyone walking in this room without wearing the Earth Amulet from room 7 will cause 3 small Earth Elementals to be summoned. They will attack anyone in the room not wearing the Earth Amulet.

Buried in the field are around 100 golden seeds each worth at least 1 gold piece each for their skilled crafting.

10. The Fire Room

The walls of this room show scenes of men working a forge, a volcano emitting a flow of lava and a great pyre of some mighty hero or king.

A large fire burns in the center of the room. Within the flames sleeps a Fire Elemental. Anyone wearing the Fire Amulet from room 7 may command the Elemental to serve them. The Elemental will fight for or do the bidding of the Amulet wearer anywhere in the tomb. 

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 6

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 6

7. 

This room has crumbling plaster on all 4 walls. One wall depicts a field freshly plowed, another shows rain falling on a field of freshly sprouted grain, another shows a brisk wind blowing a field of golden wheat, the last shows a burning field of stubble and stalks after a harvest.

A  fire burns at the center of this room emitting a dark smoke. When the first player enters the fire leaps to the roof then dark birds seem to fly out. These birds are made of smoke and fly toward the players' faces. If they hit they blind the player for one combat round and make them cough. The fire can be doused with water from the Water room (5) or dirt from the Earth room (9).

Each combat another dozen smoke crows are created and attack the players. When destroyed each dozen makes a 10x10 area thick with blinding, choking smoke. The smoke crows will continue to be created and attack the players through any area of the tomb they can reach till they have filled every reachable area with smoke but cannot exist outside the tomb. 

At each corner of the room is a foot square slab that can be lifted out or smashed to reveal a small opening. A small silver chest is in each opening holding an amulet bearing one of the symbols for earth, air, fire and water. The player wearing the correct symbol for the various elemental room (room 6 is water for example) will have the stated benefits for that room description.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 5

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 5

6. 

The center 30x30 area of the room is encircled with vertical axis fan blades.

A set of these blades every ten feet. They have a diameter of just over 9 feet so there is a small amount of room between 1 set of blades and the next , The edges of the blades are razor sharp. 

At the very center of the room is a 2ft high golden statue of a Satyr playing a flute sitting on a pedastle. Touching the statue will cause it to start playing and the fan blades will begin spinning unless the person touching the statue is wearing the Wind Amulet from room 7. The statue weigh is very heavy (as it is made of lead with a thin covering of gold foil). 

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 4

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 4

4. The long hallway has plastered walls that show scenes of fishing and ancient ships upon peaceful waters to the east. To the west the scenes show cloudy skys and storms lashing fields and farmland.

5. This room is plastered with bluish illustartions that appear to show underwater scenes. There is a wide pool of water at the center 30x30 section of the room. At the center of the pool, which is about 10 feet deep, is a golden statue of a mermaid. It weighs around 5lbs and is quite valuable. Anyone entering the pool without the Amulet showing the Water Sign will summon a Water Weird which attacks those within the room (other than the Amulet wearer.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 3

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 3

3. Arrows of Wheat

Inside the room is a field of wheat. It is almost 5 feet high and still ripples slightly from the inrush of air when the sealed passage was opened. The wheat is made of gold and radiates strong enchantment.

Each stalk is crafted with exquisite skill and its value as a work art would far outweigh its value as gold. Removing the wheat is a problem. When a stalk is touched it becomes an arrow of gold +1 to hit and +1 to damage once fired they become normal organic stalks of wheat after they have done their damage. There are hundreds, perhaps close to a thousand stalks of gold wheat.

The walls of the room are plastered with crumbling scenes of a huge beast being hunted through a field of wheat. At the center of the room is the dry and withered form of the creature. It is quite dead. Surprisingly its skin is very supple. If skinned its hide can be made into a cloak that allows friendship and communication with bovine creatures.

At the 4 corners of the room are pedastals upon each is the statue of a Flan warrior bearing a bow. As the characters enter the room they will be fired upon by the stone archers. They archers will pluck stalks of wheat as they shoot as if from a handy quiver and fire the magic arrows. These statues will fire until there are no more targets or no more arrows but will not leave the room.

   

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 2

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 2

Some openings between rooms are blocked as shown on the map. These are not doors but sealed partions of brick and mortar. They are covered with a decorated plaster showing scenes from the distant past of the Flan such as hunting, farming, celebrations. The passing years have made them very delicate. They are easily broken in a shower of dust and crumbling brick. Those who shatter a passage are cursed for a cumulative -1 penalty per portal until the curse is removed.

2.

Down the center of this room are two rows of crouching figures. Each is clothed in rotting fragments of cloth that show the dull remnants of bright colors now faded. As the players enter the room the figures will rise and turn toward the players. They will move toward them with arms outstretched while an eerie moaning will come from their desicated throats.

There are two rows of 8 figures each. They are chained togther in groups of 4. A single blow is enough to slay them but they will arise again within 24 hours. If anyone understands ancient Flan they will hear in the moaning speech pleas for mercy ande to be released. For every 4 of these ancient Flan slaves killed a -1 curse will be upon the slayer but for every 4 released from their chains a +1 blessing (24hour duration) will be placed on the one to release them.

While there is no key the chains can be struck or even twisted off by an exceptionally strong player.

The walls of the room are covered in decaying plaster that show chained slaves working in a field of wheat. There are broken baskets in the corners filled with the dust of wheat collected long centuries, perhaps millenia before.

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful Part 1

Project - Cairn Hills - The Tomb of Aelfflaed the Beautiful

(Map from random dungeon creator watabou)

The Cairn Hills are home to hundreds perhaps thousands of tombs and barrows reaching back into the distant past of the Flanaess. Many of them have been discovered and emptied but the valleys between the low hills still hide much to be discovered. 

This tomb is untouched and therefore still holds treasure but it also contains dangers and protections for those who would rob it.

The surrounding area is home to bandits, gnolls, ogre's and trolls. A nest of manticores is nearby.

All rooms are of stone with ceilings 8 feet at the walls rising to 15 feet at the center. The walls are carved from dense blocks of a light grey stone. Each block weighs in excess of 500lbs. The  roof is made from a darker stone and seems to have been melded together somehow. A faint trace of magic still lingers.

There is no light in the dungeon. The players will need to provide a light source if the cannot see in the dark.

1. Entranceway.

The outer door is covered with dirt and rubble but a recent storm causeed a slide and the upper poprtion of the doorway is revealed. There is a ward set into the door formed from the armbones and skull of an ancient Flan warrior. If it is touched it will say in ancient Flan "The curse of living death is upon this grave." The skull will then emit an eery laugh and collapse into dust. The door will split and fall to rubble. When the door collapses air is sucked into the room as if into a vacuum.

A set of stairs leads down 30 feet to the room. 

At the center of the room is a small chariot. It is exquisitely made (elvish workmanship) it is inlaid with silver but the wood is dried and fragile. A figure is chained inside the chariot. An ancient Flan warrior dried and desicated. It has three +1 Javilins and a longsword of equally ancient design. When the first player steps into the room it will begin throwing javilins at them. After it is out of javilins it will attack with its sword. The chain holding it to rotting chariot will easly break free and allow it to pursue the players though it will not leave the room. 

Attached to a peg inside the chariot is a whip that causes wounds to bleed for extra damage and can dismount a rider 10% of the time after a succesful hit.

End Part 1