Runebearer The Tomb of Markalos(1), Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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The Tomb of Markalos
1
Introduction
Elliot Terzani frowned as he watched his manservant's fumbling
attempts at construction. "Andrew my good man, please be careful.
You are stripping the threads on that leg. I am certain of it," Elliot
said. He stepped closer to better see the work in progress.
mercenaries from Ismoth to help me, since they're just sitting
around right now."
"That is fine, Borntraeger," Elliot said, his voice flat with
disappointment.
As Andrew looked up at his master, the sweat rolled down his
forehead and formed a drop at the end of his nose. He reached up to
wipe his face with hands nicked and scratched from fighting the
wooden chair. He frowned, but said nothing before bending back to
his work.
Borntraeger turned back to the others. Elliot frowned. Borntraeger
had been sheriff of his father's lands for many years. His skin was
rough from his travels, and bore scars from many battles. But now,
he was thin and gray, and walked with a slight limp. Elliot
wondered if he would have to hold the old man up so that he could
swing his sword.
"And that support goes all the way up the back," Elliot said. "I
almost took a nasty tumble last time."
"Lord Elliot," Andrew said. "Here is your shoshari."
"Yes Lord," said Andrew as he snapped the support into place. He
wiped his forehead again and then set Lord Elliot's chair in front of
him.
Elliot took the small, steaming cup and put it to his lips. The liquid
was warm and thick, with just the perfect touch of sweetness.
"Excellent as always, Andrew," he said. Andrew bowed his head
and turned to leave.
"Excellent, now you can make me a cup of shoshari," Elliot said,
and he dismissed his servant with a wave.
"Andrew," Lord Elliot said. "Prepare my gear for tomorrow. Take
only what is necessary. I need you unburdened and ready to fight."
Elliot leaned on his chair, testing its strength. It was a marvel of
engineering. The legs unscrewed and fitted to the sides of the seat,
and the back folded, permitting the entire thing to collapse into the
size of a small pack. Elliot had designed the chair himself and was
quite proud of it. Once, he had even been offered a tidy sum by a
Guilded Engineer to sell the plans. He turned it down, of course.
Sons of Bostonian barons did not need to worry about money -
much better to have a comfortable place to sit.
"Yes Lord," Andrew looked at the workers digging their tunnel.
"Father keep us."
But Elliot had not heard the prayer. He had risen from his chair and
now hurried to the tunnel entrance, anxious to hear of their
progress.
Satisfied that his chair would hold him, Lord Elliot smoothed his
robes and sat. He stretched his legs and rolled his shoulders. The
sun was hot today and he had spent too much time walking under
it. Most of the land around Haden's Cross consisted of plains and
grasslands which baked in the summer. But here, on this one hill, a
thick stand of Ash and Singing Sorrow trees grew thick enough to
blot out all but a few thin fingers of sunlight.
From his seat, Lord Elliot watched as a dozen peasants tore at the
ground with shovels and pickaxes. They had started only an hour
ago, but with strong backs and shoulders they had already dug a
deep hole in the hillside. Soon, they would find the entrance to the
Pagan King's Tomb. They would be the first people in over one
thousand years to set eyes on the mysteries within. Elliot rubbed his
hands in anticipation.
"Andrew," Elliot called. "How is that shoshari coming? I find my
mouth suddenly parched." His manservant just nodded as he
stirred the contents of three pots.
"My Lord?" Elliot turned to see Borntraeger offering his water
skin.
He waved aside the offering. "I prefer to wait for the shoshari, thank
you."
The gray-haired sheriff shrugged his shoulders and then raised the
skin to his lips for a long drink. When he finished, he wiped his
mouth on his sleeve.
"A quick report, Lord. I am pretty sure we are digging in the right
place. Even so, it will take most of our daylight to break through. I
figure while those men dig, I'll set up a camp. And I'll use those
2
Entering the Tomb
1 Excavation
Workers have dug a hole into the hillside almost 12 feet deep
to reach the entrance to the tomb. A wooden ladder provides
access to the bottom of the pit. A full action must be spent to
climb up or down the ladder in combat.
In addition, it allows the user to more effectively heal
others. All medical, physician and healing spells benefit
from a +1 hit point bonus for each die rolled. This means
a +1 to medical rolls, a +2 for physician and a +1 or 2 for
most spells. This effect lasts for 6 hours. Afterwards, the
user is so tired; he suffers a -1 to all skill rolls until he gets
8 hours sleep.
The entrance to the tomb is a stone slab, flanked on either
side by two crumbling cone-shaped pillars. The tops of the
pillars almost reach ground level and are capped by two
badly corroded bronze bowls.
3 Hallway of Wives
A step up leads to a narrow passageway. This is much drier
than the entrance chamber due to elevation as well as two
shallow gutters running along the edges. The air here is stale
and musty.
2 Entrance Chamber
This small stone chamber serves as the entrance to the tomb
itself. The age of this place is apparent from the cracked
stone and crumbling mortar. The air is stale and damp.
Condensation drips from cracks in the ceiling, creating small
puddles on the floor.
The hallway contains three sets of alcoves and ends in an iron
bound wooden door. Each pair of alcoves contains an
identical pair of statues. Before the first alcove, on the
western wall is a tattered tapestry. It is covered in mold, but
a scene of ornate buildings and people is still visible.
A wooden door is set into in archway on the north wall, sit
inches above the floor. Stone braziers sit on either side of the
door, filled with oily water. Above the door, two rusted
chains hang down from rings set into the wall, which appear
to have suspended a plaque in front of the door at one time.
The plaque is lying on the floor, mostly rotted away. The
only details still visible are a carved bas-relief of a burial
scene along with some indecipherable writing.
The first set of statues depicts a beautiful woman with long
flowing hair, standing with her arms outstretched and her
mouth open, as if speaking. She is dressed in an ornate robe
wrapped with silk scarves. The statue on the left has sunken
into the floor slightly and tipped upwards. The statue on the
right is in perfect condition however.
The next alcove holds a pair of statues depicting another
woman. She is wearing a fancy evening gown and standing
with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face. While not
as beautiful as the first, she has a look of commanding power
about her. A few bones litter the floor between these two
statues.
The door has swollen shut from moisture and must be forced
open. A STR test vs. DL 16 is required to pull the door open.
Growing in the corner of this room are a few pale plants with
long white, mushrom-like stalks.
The final alcove contains statues of a woman in what appears
to be the ceremonial clothing of a harem. Like the first, she
has her mouth open and is pointing. On the floor between
them are some rotted bits of clothing and a greenish scum.
Skullcap
Climate:
Dark, Damp, Caves
Season:
Any
Knowledge DL:
16
Discovery DL:
18
Trap: Wife Statues
Bunch:
1d3
Detect DL:
16
Purchase:
50p / dose
Telltale Signs DL:
18
Disarm DL:
18
Skullcap is found in dark caves. It is all white with fern-
like leaves and a single long stem ending in a white cap
that is shaped much like a mushroom. The fern is often
used as bandages as they are very strong and resistant to
infection. The caps can be eaten, but only keep for a
couple weeks after they are picked.
Disarm Time:
30 minutes
Each set of statues has a different effect when activated.
The effects are listed in the order the statues appear.
While disarming the trigger mechanism is a difficult and
time consuming task, if the location of the trigger stone is
known, the trap can be circumvented easily.
Skullcap raises the empathy of the user with regards to
the pain of others. A user of skullcap will take 1 point of
damage if anyone around him (within say 10 meters) is
hurt. He takes this damage each time a new injury occurs
close to him, or a new injured person enters his "radius."
A maximum of 6 hit points may be taken in this fashion.
Fireball:
The trigger stone for this trap is directly between
the two statues. Whoever steps on the trigger stone must
make an AGI save vs. DL 12 to dodge the flames or take
2d8 points of damage as flames shoot from the mouths of
both statues. Fortunately, only one statue is dangerous as
3
the other has tipped enough that the flames hit the ceiling
instead.
known to man or cobrat. The door is in good shape and
unlocked.
Ice:
The trigger stone for this trap is just after the two
statues. When tripped, a freezing mist starts to pour from
the eyes of both statues, filling the hallway. Everyone in
the hallway must make a TOU save vs. DL 13 or take 2d4
points of damage and be -2 to actions for 2 hours due to
frostbite.
The mural on the third step extends onto the floor itself.
Rising from a crack in the floor is a statue or a creature of
mud, lava and flame. The creature appears to be reaching
out to the painting of the king, kneeling awaiting his
blessing.
The fourth step contains a grand battle scene. On the mural
the king is depicted locked in combat with a barbarian
chieftain. Markalos is shown here with flaming hands as he
grapples with the chieftain. The battle stretches to the floor
of the step, with four of warriors in fighting poses. There are
two bodies on this step as well. The bodies are old and
decayed but wearing what could be considered "modern"
clothing. The bodies are stripped and contain nothing of
value.
Acid:
The trigger for this trap is several feet before the
statues, but the effect is delayed several seconds. A
concentrated acid sprays out from the mouths of both
statues, covering anyone standing between them and
pooling on the floor. Anyone caught in the spray must
make a SPD save vs. DL 11 or take 1d6 points of damage.
In addition, 1-3 random items owned by that person are
damaged (40%) or destroyed (20%).
Trap: Pit
Trap: Warrior Statues
Detect DL:
14
Detect DL:
10
Telltale Signs DL:
19
Telltale Signs DL:
16
Disarm DL:
11
Disarm DL:
14
Disarm Time:
10 Minutes
Disarm Time:
10 Minutes
If the door is opened (either the lock picked or the door
broken) without the proper key a floor panel directly in
front of the door swings down. Anyone within 1 hex of
the door must make a SPD save vs. DL 18 to jump clear
before falling into the pit. The pit is 20 feet deep, causing
3d6 points of damage from the fall onto the hard stone
floor. The pit is wider at the bottom than the top, making
it almost impossible to climb without aid or equipment.
All of the warrior statues on this step have been trapped
to "swing" their weapons at anyone who approaches.
Only two of the statues are still active, however, the
others have been tripped by the unfortunate souls lying
at their feet. Anyone who trips one must make a SPD or
AGI save vs. DL 13 or take 2d10 points of damage from
the blow.
The fifth step contains a single statue or Markalos in his full
glory. His entire body is on fire as he casts streams of lava
onto an approaching hoard of barbarians. The floor around
him has been sculpted and painted as cracked, burnt earth.
Inside the pit are a couple of bodies. The bodies are very
old, by the look and style of the clothing they are
wearing. Scattered among the bodies is a silver dagger, a
brass key (that happens to fit the door above) and a
shattered lockbox. The lockbox contains various old
coins worth about 45 p in total.
The fifth step shows an elderly king in his audience chamber.
He is dressed in opulent robes and waited on by one of the
women depicted in the hallway below. At the edge of the
step are four archer statues, poised as if firing at the doorway
below. While the mechanisms can be reset, none of them
have any arrows remaining.
4 Hall of Legends
This is a large octagonal room with a high ceiling. It is
arranged into a series of steps, each about three feet higher
than the last. The steps start to the left of the door, ending in
the last step about 20 feet above the floor. A handful of
broken arrows and old, dried blood lie just inside the
doorway.
5 Water-Filled Passage
A few paces past the doorway, the hallway descends in a
series of shallow steps. The lower end is filled with ankle
deep water and ends in a doorway. The door is warped and
rotted from the water. A STR test at DL 10 is all that is
required to break it open.
The first step has a mural painted on the wall depicting a
number of peasants who appear to be begging the young
king for help against a rampaging barbarian hoard visible in
the background.
6 Hanging Garden
The mural on second step shows the king speaking to some
cobrat. He seems to be searching for something. Behind the
cobrat is a beautiful temple, full of hanging plants. The
doorway on this wall is painted as part of the scene as well.
A DL 14 check against knowledge of cobrat will reveal that
this is a rather famous temple. Considered one of the
wonders of the world, it contains virtually every plant
This is a long room built to resemble the garden temple
depicted in the mural. It is a long room lined with columns
on either side. Stone tables and planters are scattered about
here, many overturned and broken, in addition to planters
hanging from chains set into the ceiling. All of them are
filled with rotted earth and decayed plants.
4
The ceiling is crisscrossed with a number pipes, one of which
has burst, dripping water constantly into the room. Like the
hallway, the floor is covered in ankle deep water, tinted
sludgy brown from the earth. In the far corners on the ceiling
are set two glass gems, apparently to focus light into the
room but long since broken.
crude, self-made wooden spears. Moss men never wear
clothing or armor.
Description
Horror-Moss men are humans, which have been
transformed by infectious "Horror-Moss". Horror-Moss
is actually not a moss, but a semi-sentient fungus.
Anyone who contacts Horror-Moss with their bare skin
becomes infected. If unnoticed or untreated, the fungus
grows on the victim's skin in a thin layer at a rate of 10
inches a day. If the victim is not cured within 3 days of
the infection, the fungus begins to warp their mind. The
victim becomes very paranoid of other humans, and will
start making constant attempts to flee to the nearest
unpopulated area.
The door at the far end of the room is in no better shape than
the other door. It is rotted and swelled in place, forcing
another STR check at DL 10 to smash it open.
In the southeast corner of the room sleeps a moss man. It has
been dormant here for many years, sleeping under a pile of
broken tables and planters. It would take a PER check at DL
18 to tell the vaguely humanoid body from the surrounding
dirt and decay. The creature will slowly awaken if anyone
enters the room and attack from concealment after 5 minutes.
About a month and a half after infection, a victim is
completely and permanently transformed into what is
commonly referred to as a "Moss Man". Moss Men are
completely covered in the Horror-Moss fungus, their skin
completely eaten away and replaced by it. All hair, ears,
nose, and sexual features are also gone, presumably eaten
away by fungus, leaving a slim, humanoid creature. The
Horror-Moss looks somewhat like fuzzy velvet in texture,
but has the ability to both change color, and become
phosphorescent. This gives the creature the ability to
camouflage itself, or make disorienting light displays.
The mind of the creature has been reduced to that of a
smart animal, and is influenced by the fungus. Moss men
tend to live in forested areas, dwelling in the dense cover,
feeding on large animals they hunt with amazing stealth
and speed.
Moss Man
Physical
12
Initaitive
+1
Swiftness
15
Attack
11
Mental
5
Damage
1d6 + weapon
Perception
10
Defense
13/
11
/10/9
Move
6
Armor
1,2,3,4,4
Hit Points
32
Special Abilities
Camouflage:
Moss men can change their appearance to fit
their surroundings. When camouflaged and in cover, a
character must make a PER test at a DL of 19 to detect the
creature. If the creature is moving, then the PER DL is
only 12.
It is not unheard of for wizards to use magic to control
moss men, and use them as guards or troops. Even when
controlled, moss men are only slightly more intelligent
than most animals, and cannot be used as laborers for
anything remotely difficult.
Infectious:
If any horror moss (moss men are totally
covered in it) contacts a characters skin, the character
must make a TOU test at a DL of 17, or become infected
by horror moss. Horror moss immediately starts acting
on the character's skin, spreading at a fearful rate. Each
round, the horror moss causes the character to lose 1
point of STR, DEX, AGI, SPD, TOU and CHR. Once any
of these characteristics reach 0, the character is comatose
and is being overtaken by the moss. In one hour's time, he
will be totally consumed and become a moss man
himself.
7 Servant Alcoves
Shortly before the corridor turns left another short set of
steps rises out of the water. Along the East wall are six
shallow alcoves set in two rows. Each of the alcoves contains
a corpse dressed in fine but decayed clothing. Hidden
amongst the bones are an ornate dagger (30p) and a plain
gold ring (20p).
The moss may be scorched off by a torch or lamp flame
any time until the character is comatose. The character
must be scorched for one round and 1d4 points of
damage for each round he was infected by the moss.
However, as long as any flame is applied, the spread of
the moss is checked and the character loses no more
ability points.
The fist door is unlocked and will open easily, though the
hinges make a good deal of noise. If anyone in the party
makes a PER check at DL 13 they can hear some shuffling
and clattering in the room beyond.
The door at the end of the hallway is a solid heavy door
banded in metal. The door is unlocked and opens easily into
the room beyond.
Once the character goes comatose, then only a physician
or magic can save him. A physician skill test at DL 17 will
remove the moss. Otherwise a spell that cures disease
will do the same.
There is a secret door at the very end of the hallway. A PER
check at DL16 is required to locate the mechanism. Pushing
on one of the stones on the nearby wall will cause the door to
open smoothly and soundlessly.
Weapons Usage:
Moss men can use any weapon a normal
human can, but tend to favor spears. They will use any
weapon they have found or stolen, and failing that,
5
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Runebearer The Tomb of Markalos(1), Podreczniki RPG, Runebearer

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