From Game Memo 15

Alliston

The Monument

Five-sided architecture. Inscription in Karmanian. This curious construction consists of a five-sided obelisk at the centre of a pentagonal stepped plinth. Judging by the lichen and weathering, it is very old. The obelisk bears an inscription in a Karmanian, still partly legible.

No-one in the party could read it, but two people copied the inscription. Later translated from Karmanian by the Magister.. "Here lies Alys, last and greatest of the Five. Born 710 in LOSKALM, died 770 of treachery. Entered Karmania 729 in the army of Syranthir Forefront, fought with Rokaris, Menkar, Hyalor and Ulathor against Mortarex, destroyed the Black Wyrm, enforced the worship of the Invisible God upon the heathens, granted these lands after purging them of Yolande. As Baron, converted thousands to the One True God, built roads and the villages of Alyston and Alys' Way, introduced modern agriculture, opened Alys Pass, built Alysbridge and the castle at Morainus." [ Rest is eroded to illegibility ]

A hole has been hacked into the side, a tunnel apparently created by graverobbers using pickaxes and similar tools; they tunneled past the stone facing and the brick foundation, until they reached the start of the burial chamber. Waste rubble still lay at the mouth of the tunnel, indicating it was dug after the village was abandoned, but plants growing in the slag, and the general appearance of the tunnel, indicated the diggers entered several years ago.

Inside the monument

1.The Shaft of Fear: every time anyone tried to descend this simple 20' well, they were zapped by some kind of spell that frightened them so much they wished to run away. Agvan was first down, and first to flee. Realising it was a spell like Demoralise 'in a matrix', they finally hit on lowering each other down by a rope, rather than climbing. But by this time Viran had already fallen down the shaft and run off screaming to 2... "What shall we do?" pleaded the PC's to their leader, Lance-Corporal Pan. "uh... tea break?" he suggested.

2. The Face: as Viran ran into this room, a spell hit him. There was no discernable effect, but he froze in fear and gibbered until the Demoralise from (1) ended. Examining his surroundings with the aid of a torch, he found the room empty bar a hideous grinning face carved in the wall, whose eyes seemed to follow him around... the room. He left hurriedly.

3. Viran continued into here - still alone, as no-one else had managed to get past (1) yet. He felt something "trying to crowbar the top of his head off and get in". Viran fought off the spirit, not really knowing what he was doing, and ignoring the black flickering around him. By now the Fear had worn off. He returned to the Shaft and waited for Pan to finally overcome his fears and come down. Pan succeeded in passing the Shaft of Fear by dint of falling through it. He was still Demoralised by it, but cowered behind Viran until it wore off. They went back to (3), Pan's interest aroused by something lustrous glinting on a wall. Unfortunately it was only gold leaf, part of a fresco. Agvan managed to join them around now and Viran led the way down the stairs to (4).

4. As they descended the stairs, their torches went out at a certain point, leaving them in darkness until relit. They could also feel the cold shiver of a spell affecting them here, albeit with no obvious effect. Descent was further complicated by room (4) being waist-deep in icy water, preventing them from seeing where they were treading. They skirted the edge of the room to avoid traps like the deadfall which had landed long ago in the middle of the room. Near the door to (5) they found they were walking over bones, human remains.

5. Room (5) has recesses in the walls, each filled with a man-sized "winged orc" statue. The features of these have been painstakingly chiselled away by someone until they are hardly recognisable. The PC's theorised that someone had disliked them and deliberately defaced them, perhaps to deactivate a magical defense. Nothing attacked the PC's in here...

6. This room was much larger than the previous ones, and much higher, though still waist-deep in water. An ugly, winged statue with intact features squatted in a recess opposite the entrance. Pan (Viran?) went up to examine it - and it opened its eyes! It lashed out with its claws / bite at the players. There was a huge fight, Viran being seriously injured & going unconcious; its stony skin was worryingly tough. It had the advantage of flight, despite its obvious weight. But finally, Pan slashed it and it fell below the water, head still glowing from a Light spell of Viran's. Marcus joined the others and Viran was healed back to conciousness. But now, eddies formed in the water at the far end of the room as a roaring column of air and water materialised. The sylph tore into the PC's, sucking up them, water, mud and detritus and flinging them around indiscriminately. [The PC's emerged from this fight completely filthy.] Every time a PC was sucked up, they were bashed against the ceiling and hurt. Viran's arm went negative... when the torches went out in the rain, the only light was from the dead statue's head, underwater; when suddenly Pan's sword glowed brightly. Whatever he'd done, it seemed to boost his damage, because the sylph was destroyed soon after. The PC's searched the room thoroughly, but could find no treasure, secret doors etc. It seemed to be a dead end. Discouraged, they returned to 5...

5. ...

4. ...As Marcus re-entered this room, he saw Something Horrible coming down the stairs. It looked like the Thing they'd summoned accidentally in Thule. As it walked over the water, the water crackled and froze under it. Marcus shouted back to the others to get in and surround it before it bottled them up, because it could only move slowly. Agvan barged in and struggled through the water with Marcus to the far end of the room whilst the others attacked it from the other side. Viran was reduced to 2 general HP and Agvan took some serious damage in the following struggle. Marcus aquired a temporary phobia (7 rounds) about magic, such as Healing himself. But finally, Pan slashed its chest and it shattered into large lumps of ice bobbing in the water.

To Game Memo 15

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