Areth's Tomb

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Urtall's Story

"More than a millennium has passed since Arreth’s Tomb was sealed. Few still alive know that it exists; fewer still know where to find it. Despite my age of nearly 300 winters my knowledge is the story passed from Paligor son of Aligorin to Raketh son of Paligor to Stonikk son of Raketh to Banteth son Stonikk to me Urtall son of Banteth. Please forgive me, as it has been many decades since I have told this story, I will try to be as accurate as I can.

The Dwarves of the Dragonspires, our ancestors, fought an ancient evil, a Balor named Mantanak Arreth on and off for more than 500 years. Finally deciding that what could not be killed could be contained. During a period of Arreth’s banishment, allegiances were formed, magic weaved and a tomb forged. Much to the credit of our ancestors, the imprisonment worked and has given our clan peace from this abomination for more than a millennium.

During the early years of the imprisonment, they knew that one day Arreth would be free again, and with the assistance of Myth Drannor, a planar cosm was created, I would give you more detail about this but the story gets vague in this area, too much magic mumbo jumbo I suspect. Suffice it to say, it is a closet of the Abyss on the Prime where the Balor if freed could be slain permanently, but at great risk as his power would be greater there than anywhere else on the prime.

Our clan is not what it was then, and my dreams, nightmares, realizations if you will, tell me the time of Arreth’s freedom is near. I am here telling you this because ..... you have been the focus of my dreams - seeing you fight to free Dwarven halls from the clutches of our enemies, a hero, son of heroes, and I felt compelled to find you. The story does not have a lot of detail but I believe that what I have told you is factual. Most importantly I have been entrusted with the location of the tomb and in passing it to you I feel my obligation is complete, here is a map I have put together to the best of my ability remember that the information is old enough that geographical changes may have occurred.”

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With Urtall's tale fresh in their minds the Dozen dimensionally folded to the foothills of the area alluded to in his story. They were quickly met by a local militia that were suspected to be slavers. A sense of urgency and smooth talking leader named Aralan, kept things civil and a price was agreed upon for guidance to the caves system in question.

The expansive maze of caverns took on a crude star-shape, with traditional denizens of Troglodytes, Spiders, Bugbears and Otyughs. Although the Otyughs presented some challenges, many of the other were little more than a nuisance to their now well-honed close-quarter combat prowess. The otyughs was placed at the bottom of a very deep shaft that was impervious to light, off of which they found a short winding tunnel with an ancient set of small non-descript double doors. The small doors opened onto a stairway landing that led down into the central octagonal dome and once traversed the door and stairway vanished. Despite spending some time exploring options it quickly becasme clear there was no way back.

The octagonal chamber emanated with old magics, and was dimly lit at all times from no particular source. In the center of the chamber, a 3’ cubic alter with small circular divots at the cardinal points, was built into the floor. Each facet of the room had a corridor leading from the central chamber to a 20’ diameter chamber with a magical doorway opposing the entryway. These chambers each contained a puzzle to overcome before the respective doorway would open. The puzzles were as follows:

      Water
      Puzzle:Six sets of handprints in a fountain of clear water, fill them to open door, 15 seconds after activation an electrical charge damages all those touching the water (2-16) unless the open condition has been achieved. Anyone who withdraws before the 15 seconds shocks everyone else (1-4).
      Open Condition: All handprints filled at the same time.
      Dream Hint: You have a vision of hands dripping with water as they are lifted and a voice says, “Beware the water coward.” This vision may be freely discussed.

      Earth
      Puzzle: Six floating stone cups hover two feet off the ground in a circle, graduating from the smallest (2 inches in diameter) to the largest (12 inches in diameter). The smallest of the cup contains a 10gp gem that will be replaced each morning if removed.
      Open Condition – Each cup filled with a corresponding 10gp value of each coin type. (i.e. 2pp, 10gp, 100sp & 1000cp)
      Dream Hint: You have a vision of a single gem and a voice says, “There is a pattern in all things.” This vision may be freely discussed.

      Air
      Puzzle: Six holes, one in the center of each wall of the hexagonal room. A distant and airy 12 notes tune is audible here as well. Each wrong note causes damage to everyone present. (1 point of damage the first time, 2 points the second time, etc.)
      Open Condition: Play the tune correctly once.
      Dream Hint: You have a vision of a young male dwarf playing a flute. The focus is on his finger covering the holes to make each new note. This vision may be freely discussed.

      Fire
      Puzzle: A 4-foot diameter brazier burns blue hot in the centre of the chamber, smoke is minimal (more of external materials are introduced)
      Open Condition:
      Dream Hint:

      Patience
      Puzzle: Utterly empty chamber
      Open Condition: All six adventurers must spend 24 hours in the door room.
      Dream Hint: You have a vision of manta ray camouflaged on the sea bottom, waiting for hours for its prey to swim by, when it does the attack is lethal and a voice says, “Perseverance is not the virtue, patience is.”

      Virtue
      Puzzle: Small shrine with donation coffer.
      Open Condition: Sacrifice 100,000gp.
      Dream Hint:

      Hope
      Puzzle: The adventurers are faced with three riddles they may answer any two. Each wrong answer does damage. (1 point of damage the first time, 2 points the second time, etc.)
      Open Condition: Answer two of the following riddles correctly.

           What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away? Coal from a forge.
           What falls but never breaks? What breaks but never falls? Night and Day.
           I am the ruler of shovels, I have a double, I am as thin as a knife, I have a wife. What am I? The King of Spades

      Pain
      Puzzle: Each of the six adventures takes damage for six rounds then a save is made versus magic. Repeat for adventurers not making their save. (1 point of damage the first time, 2 points the second time, etc.)
      Open Condition – All adventurers have made their save without anyone leaving the room.
      Dream Hint: You have a vision of a soldier on the losing side of a battle mortally wounded pressing forward, leaving dead enemies in his wake. “Sometimes you must be patient to persuade, sometimes you must persevere to conquer.”

      Truth
      Puzzle: The central alter has a place for each of the elemental amulets.
      Open Condition – Fill all 4 amulets, while worn, in their respective slots. Wrong combination and the four wearers take 5 points of damage each.
      Dream Hint:   You awake in the morning able to grasp only the wisp of a dream you know to have consumed your thoughts this night. The wisp is a soft melodious voice saying, “The amulet has awakened.”

* * * * *

Other than the dreams that were received as hints, there were many other visions, some very dark and some that the Dozen were unable to share despite vivid recollection. They were as follows:

   Your night transpires in real time. One by one you watch everyone you love drown violently. You are always right there, but are paralyzed by fear and unable to help. At the end you are the last to go, and in your wallow and self-pity, welcome it. As you awake the mere thought of water seems repulsive. (You are now aqua phobic.)

   Your night transpires in real time. You are tied down while black shapeless creatures, which you are unable to see clearly pour water down your throat. The pain is excruciating, until the last when your stomach explodes and you awake.

   Your night transpires in real time. One by one you watch everyone you love buried alive. You are always right there, but are paralyzed by fear and unable to help. At the end you are the last to go, and in your wallow and self-pity, welcome it. As you awake the mere thought of earth seems repulsive. (You are now claustrophobic.)

   Your night transpires in real time. You are standing in the center of a quarry while black shapeless creatures, which you are unable to see clearly, stone you. Attempts to make it out of the quarry fail as the stones come harder and knock you back. At the point where the pain has become unbearable you pass out, only to awake from your premonition.

   Your night transpires in real time. An old woman, with hag-like features and a look of pure hatred stares back at you all night, as though she were painted on the inside of your eyelids. She hangs over you; frequently sneering and occasionally oozing drool down upon you.

   Your night transpires in real time. You are hanging by you wrists from a rocky outcropping in the Abyss, completely naked. Strange creatures fly by beneath you and you cannot see the ground below. A black disembodied head, that is nearly the size of a full-grown cow circles around you, licking you from toe to tip each minute. The barbs of its tongue are painful and disgusting the first time but grow much worse each subsequent time. The smell of brimstone serves as smelling salt keeping you conscious though unimaginable agony.

   Your night transpires in real time. Unable to move you find that one of your fingers has ignited and is burning. It burns for a few minutes, consuming almost the entire finger and as it reduces to embers the next finger ignites. This continues part by part until only vitals remain, at which time you are consumed by the flame. You are aware of your surroundings for an impossibly long time until at last you are release to consciousness.

   You dream of a field of flowers that sways soothingly in a warm calm breeze, the flower’s fragrances blend harmoniously. As you watch the field shapes become visible with the patterns of petals, which form the faces of unknown Dwarves smiling up at you and nodding in approval.

   You dream of a room filled with coins and gems. Rolling in them you think of all the things that you can do with this seemingly limitless wealth.

   You dream of a warm, relaxing, outside bath in a sun-warmed pond located in the center of a forest glade. Although you are alone, you can smell a homemade meal being prepared upwind. The stars twinkle in response to your viewing them. Serenity abounds.

   You dream of feeding and rocking a small playful baby to sleep. The warmth of the hearth and ale seeps into your very being and you drift off to sleep yourself.

   Standing at a high point of a vast expanse, you stand with arms outstretched soaking up the praises as people for as far as the eye can see cheer and chant your name.

   You dream of being a tree. You are able to feel the warmth of the sun on your leaves as nourishment flows back to your core. The soil hugging your roots as water makes it way up your trunk. The joy of providing home for so many others. The wind rustling though your leaves, like scratching an itch you were unaware that you had.

Each time a puzzle is solved the door opens to allow access to the prize room, which is also a 20’ diameter chamber. Upon grasping the prize the group is submitted for trial. Each fight took place in a surrounding favourable to our opponent.

More to follow....