Session 398 - Ancient Crypt
General Summary
17th of Nolus Summer 728TR
The story so far
A group of heroes battle the evils haunting the beleaguered Kingdom of Kanday.
Sir Odin, a former Erkan of the Checked Shield, has been raised to knighthood.
Remy, a former master thief and active gambler, has won and lost fortunes.
Abaddon has traveled the wilderness, perfecting his impressive martial skills.
Edelina, a scholarly priestess of the god of Knowledge Save K’Nor, joins them on their adventures.
This is the continuation of Session 396 - Wasp's Nest.
Abaddon has learned of the Brothers of Belsirasin, Peoni worshiping priests who are masters of the defensive martial art, the Gently Winding Path. Abaddon, a superb martial artist himself, could learn much from them, and he is especially interested in how they deal with undead, especially spirits and incorporeal creatures.
The priests have a temple in the isolated Barony of Dunir.
Location - Dunir Keep in the Kingdom of Kanday.
Part 1- The Good Brothers
The good priests are most unusual for the typically pacifistic Irreproachable Order. They call themselves the Brothers of Belsirasin and are much more militant than you would expect from a religion devoted to peace, not hesitating to capture worshipers of the dark god or spies for the Kingdom of Rethem and turn them over to the inquisitors of the Church of Larani. They are masters of the Gently Winding Path, a defensive martial art that uses dodging, twisting, unbalancing, holds, and throws designed to use an aggressor's strength or mass against him. The priests incorporate this training into daily prayers, which some consider heretical.
Father Linaeus is more than happy to help the heroes in whatever manner to assist them in their endeavors. He gives Abbadon a blessed hand warp adorned with the symbols of the goddess of peace, which will harm incorporeal undead horrors. He even suggests a location where he might test these out. In a long abandoned crypt used by the necromancers of the Church of Morgath, ghostly figures have been seen prowling its stone coffers.
Part 2 - An Old Crypt
The crypt is located several leagues out of the barony in a dismal, foggy bog along a small river. As the party approaches, the mist condenses into floating claws that tear at the heroes. Fortunately, this magical trap is quickly dealt with. The floating talons are soon returned to the mist.
The heroes investigate the dank, cold chambers filled with stone crypts surrounded by canopic jars, some are broken. Edelina Light spell reveals Morgathic inscriptions as horrifying ghostly forms appear. The wraiths fly through walls and sap the vitality of heroes; Odin is especially drained. Eventually, the wraiths are obliterated, helped somewhat by Edelina's Holy Light. Regardless, the heroes' weapons are not particularly effective as the wraiths were only partial in this plane of existence. Abbadon's hand wraps, however, prove effective in striking into the ethereal realm.
Another chamber holds more stone caskets; these contain more physical threats, Gulmorvin, the animated dead. As one emerges from the casket, Remy jumps on the top of the lid of another, preventing a second undead from escaping. But slithering out of a deep pit, an animated corpse of a snake emerges and attempts to wrap around and constrict Abaddon. Nevertheless, the heroes are too strong and dismember the undead.
Part 3 - Blood Dancer
The final room in the vault is exceptionally dark, and out of an elaborate stone sarcophagus, a particularly powerful corpse emerges. This undead warrior's eyes are concealed in shadow, and he wields a grim-looking weapon, a morningstar named Blood Dancer, whose vicious spikes are bone teeth of some horror. At a mere glance, the semi-mindless undead drains the vitality of the heroes, even those hiding in the back, and his weapon causes grievous bleeding wounds. Worse, a slender dark shape appears out of one of the canopic jars, similar to a demonic racing dog. It jumps into a shadow and emerges behind the heroes.
The shadow hound attacks Edelina, and Abaddon leaps to her aid while Odin and Remy hold off the formidable undead warrior. After scoring several well-timed hits, the shadow hound is destroyed, but Odin has had a much more challenging time, bleeding badly and near death. Fortunately, Edelina can now provide magical healing to keep him in the fight. Abaddon tumbles past the undead warrior and attacks him from behind while Odin continues to pummel from the front. Eventually, aided by Remy's metal and electrical bolts, the heroes vanquish this treacherous undead, and his body turns to dust, leaving only his weapon and armor.
Odin claims Blood Dancer after Edelina performs an Augury to ensure whether it is safe to hold. Remy searches the corpse's casket and, among some old coins, finds a musty old leatherbound book, the Liar's Lexicon. This book contains instructions and information on how to lie and deceive people. He, of course, claims this.
Part 4 - A Friendly Test of Skill
Back at the Dunir Keep and the Church of Tomlin the Resilient, the impressed Father Linaeus rewards the party with healing potions. He offers Abaddon a challenge. One of his priests wants a friendly sparing match. Bother Eldryn, a 30-year-old solid ex-town guardsman, proves himself to be a worthy adversary, hitting harder than Abaddon and able to withstand severe punishment. Bloodied, Abaddon changes tactics and makes use of his far superior mobility. He darts in and out to the side, jabbing, and slowly wears the priest down. Bother Eldryn collapses from exhaustion.
Abaddon is rewarded with an exceptionally potent Healing Potion. They then had a riotous night drinking the Church's home-brewed apple cider.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Pelnala (High Priest) Linaeus Aricolar and Bother Eldryn of the Church of Tomlin the Resilient.
Created Content
Temple of Peoni - Church of Tomlin the Resilient.
Related Reports
Irreproachable Order.
Player Characters
Odin - Human - L8 Ranger
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetype - Investigator and Fighter.
Abaddon - Elf - L8 Monk
Background - Martial Disciple.
Archetypes - Druid.
Remy - Human - L8 Aerokineticist (with Metal second gate)
Background - Acrobat.
Archetypes - Acrobat and Thief.
NPC Companion
Edelina - Human - L8 Holy Sage Sorcerer
Background - Astrologer.
Archetypes - Psychic and Time Mage.
