Nalkon's Underworld Report
General Summary
Brilsi 42 Alwin is in Nalkon... WAaaayyy up north. Does the world even extend this far? Why would anyone want to come to such a cold place? Ugh! Anyhow... You are doing research on demons, fiends, and devils. One of the stories you heard is that a generation or so ago (about 600 years) there was a powerful devil released into the world up here and it became the ruler of a kingdom and ended up founding an Empire. Of course the empire wasn't looked kindly upon by those around it - torture, mayhem, and the wanton use of demonic magics just seemed a not-so-good thing to the general populous. So, your goal is to find out as much as you can about the history of this event, and it is said that, outside of the Empire (which still enslaves Ælfs on sight), the neighbouring kingdom of Nalkon has the best histories on this available. Alwin has been doing some reading on this stuff and talking to people. He has found that the church of Ga-La has the best archives on this. But they keep it secret from all but the highest levels in the church hierarchy. Part of what you've found is that there are also some secrets under the city... There are some hidden catacombs that are rumoured to hold an ancient library. And the caretaker of the library is reputed (according to the rumours you heard) to have actually been around during the rise of the Empire and have witnessed the Devil King himself! The problem is, the only entrance that you know of to these catacombs are through a very old graveyard. And you've found that it's haunted by a pack of ghouls.... "Ghouls... Ick!" You've been watching the graveyard, and the previous night you saw a couple of humans poking around, and one of them actually had a conversation with the leader of the ghoul pack. You only heard a small part of the conversation, but what you got is that they're coming back tonight. Greater ghouls, from what you've gathered, are almost impossible to kill. But they are intelligent and can lead regular ghoul packs. The heroes go to the catacombs and drop the carcass off with the greater ghoul. He allows them all to go past and into the mausoleum. they spend some time searching in there before finding that the sword on an effigy is loose, and opens a door near the floor. They crawl for 10 metres before they can walk, There is a set of stairs going down. Ivan hears a noise behind them in the mausoleum. He investigates, but finds nothing. The group heads down the stairs, which winds for a long time, Ivan estimates it at descending for 5 or 6 stories. Again, something catches their attention. This time Cyren goes back to investigate. After a long game of cat-and-mouse, Cyren comes face-to-face with Alwin, a Darron Ælf. Through a bit of conversation, it seems they are each looking for something different - Alwin some books, and our group a monk - so they join forces for safety. Throughout the catacombs they have met....
- Rock Worms: large worms, up to 50 feet long, that eat stone and metal. They will attack and wrap around anyone in full armour, like a snake, smothering them with a strength of 35. Every round that the person does not make a strength test of 35 or higher they will be damaged for the difference between 35 and their result. They will need a strength test of 42 to break free. They also cannot breathe while trapped. [Note: a character can only hold their breath for 30 plus 2 times constitution seconds.
- Ghouls.
- A magical trap that puts anyone trapped into an encasement of glass and suspense them until freed exactly as they were when trapped. If no-one can free them, they are effectively dead. [stuck forever].
