The Warrior's Grave

Setting: Shenadun and the eastern wilderness
Requirements An experienced party with moderate skill
AidsKora the Madwoman (see below)
DifficultyModerate to High. The adventure might lead to a few fatalities among the party. Parties who simply blunder into the traps are likely to be massacred.
Suggested ReadingBejist [5081A]; Chybisa [5007]. GMs who wish to start a new campaign in Shenadun should probably use some of the adventure hooks to build up party skills and get the players used to the setting.

After a strong rainfall in the spring of 720, the ancient hill grave next to the village collapsed and much of its content was washed outside. Sir Lardis called the priest to consecrate the ground and ordered the mortal remains to be collected by his villagers to be properly buried on the Peonian cemetery nearby. While searching the grave under Sir Lardis' supervision, the villagers discovered old writings on stone slabs in addition to several valuable objects. Neither of the priests seemed able to read the scripts. Sir Lardis' mother, Lady Mildred, was intrigued by the findings and wrote to the Save-K'norian priest Maldren Cadreyn, to whom she is distantly related, asking for advice. Maldren traveled to Shenadun and translated the writings. He found out that the author was a Jarin skald and warrior poet named Chnwyr who lived during the Atani Wars. Chnwyr claimed to have buried a book called The Atani Chronicles together with the mortal remains of his brother in a hillgrave on a battlefield somewhere east of present day Chybisa. Maldren convinced Lady Mildred to ask her son to sponsor an expedition under Maldren's leadership, to find the grave and open it.

According to the scripts, the grave is located close to the trade post in the eastern wilderness. Sir Lardis agreed to sponsor the expedition. He is, however, reluctant to send his own men on this dubious mission and therefore hires adventurers and mercenaries to accompany Maldren. Sir Lardis is well aware that the expedition might provoke a violent reaction from the Pagaelin. If Maldren is killed in such an incident, this would give Sir Lardis an excellent excuse for an attack on the nearby Pagaelin camp.

If the player characters have a good reputation in Chybisa or have mastered one or more of the short adventures given as adventure hooks, Sir Lardis might send for them. He will pay them double normal mercenary wages and promise them one third of all valuables found.

Maldren will be the official leader of the expedition and he will make sure that this fact is not overlooked.

Aids & Clues

The PCs may discover a source of information other than Maldren if they are willing to make a few inquiries on their own before the expedition sets off. If they speak to the villagers they will be told about an old sage who occasionally visits the village. Since she travels a lot it is up to the GM to decide where and when she can be found.

Tale: The Last Battle of Avryn Chlengvyr

GM Note: Since the tale of Avryn Chlengvyr contains details about the Battle of Sorrows which may not be in accordance with every GM's interpretation, the GM should feel free to change as much as necessary to adjust it to his own campaign. Since Kora's version comes from oral history, it cannot be expected to be very accurate anyway.

Avryn ap Chlengvyr was a mighty Jarin warlord who fought alongside his Sindarin and Khuzan allies in the Atani Wars and died in the aftermath of the Battle of Sorrows.

After fighting bravely against the Lythian invaders for almost a decade, Avryn and his men followed the King Daelda into what later was called the Battle of Sorrows. The plan of the elven King was to wage an enormous defeat upon the barbarian tribes and to end their attacks for all time. He therefore ordered the Khuzdul heavy infantry to take their position on a hilltop, to take the brunt of the barbarian attack, covered in their flanks by human spearmen and backed up by his elven archers. His human and Sindarin cavalry was held in reserve to pursue the fleeing enemy. Another detachment of human spearmen, namely Avryn Chlengvyr and his men, was also held in reserve nearby to wait for the order to march around the enemy's flanks and take possession of a crucial river ford, thereby blocking the enemies' only way to retreat. The king hoped to wipe out the entire enemy host and to retake the lost territory afterwards and drive the tribes into the sea.

Avryn and his men had protested to be excluded from the main battle, as they considered this to be dishonorable, but the King finally convinced them that their role in his plan would ensure that the battle would bring the victory and the peace they all desired so badly. So they took their position and faithfully waited for their marching order while they heard the sounds of the battle.

While the King's plan succeeded as far as it routed the barbarian horde, it cost the elven King his life and a high death toll from his own army. The elves were and unwilling to pursue the retreating barbarians and send a messenger to bring the news to Avryn's men that the battle was over.

Avryn refused to take the shame of allowing his king to be killed in battle without even dealing a single blow to protect or avenge him. He made a fateful decision. He sent his brother, Chwnyr, to inform the commanders that would carry out Daelda's last order and block the barbarian's escape.

His men out-marched the disorganized tribes and got to the ford. There they drove the tribal guardians away and formed a shield fort, ready to repel attacks from both sides. In the meantime, the Khuzdul had decided that their honor demanded to aid Avryn but were far to slow to come in time. Desperate to open their only way to escape, the surviving barbarians threw themselves upon the spears and shields of Avryn's men, being repelled again and again.

It was then that fresh tribal horsemen arrived, probably the ancestors of the Hodiri horseclans, launching their attack from the other side of the river. Riding close to the shieldwall and peppering the spearmen with arrows, the barbarians softened up the ranks of the Jarin. Avryn died, an arrow hitting his eye and killing him instantly. His men panicked, the shieldwall broke and it ended in a slaughter of the brave Jarin.

The Khuzdul and other Jarin troops arrived on the scene shortly after. Chwnyr was with them, leading their way. They drove the barbarians off, but came too late to rescue their allies. They found Avryn and his men dead, lying in what looked like a castle of dead bodies behind a moat of red blood.

Being unable to carry so many dead, they decided to build a grave for them where they lay. They laid them to rest in a mixture of Khuzan and Jarin fashion, laying traps and binding the souls of their defeated enemies to guard their sleep.

The place was called the valley of death in the Jarin folklore ever after. But since the war was lost, both Jarin Khuzdul withdrew further east, yielding the area to the invaders. The rivers got new names from the new masters of the land and the memory of brave Avryn ap Chlengvyr and his faithful spearmen was lost and the place of the battle forgotten. Only an old song (see Handout) and his tale remain and have their place in Jarin folklore, where they are remembered as tragic heroes.

Chwnyr ap Chlengvyr

Chwnyr was a skald and the younger brother of the Jarin warlord Avryn. He traveled around with him, delivering messages for him and writing down the deeds of him and his clansmen. The book he wrote was called The Chronicles. It had been handed down through several generations and therefore contained more than two hundred years of clan history.

When his brother and most of his other clansmen perished in the aftermath of the Battle of Sorrows, survived because he had been dispatched to deliver a message. He was broken by grief and cast the book into grave of his brother, believing that the history of his clan was over and the world was going to end.

Chwnyr saw the Ulmerien Valley fall to the barbarians, but also saw the beginning of more peaceful relations between the Lythians and the Jarin.

It is likely that Chwnyr regretted his decision to throw away the precious book. However deep his remorse was, he did not open the grave of his brother to retrieve the book. On his deathbed he wrote down where the grave of his brother and the precious book could be found, probably torn between the hope that the book would be discovered and the fear that his grave would be desecrated. His final scripts were buried with him and his clan's history sank into obscurity.

In the event that player characters get their hands on Chwnyr's notes, they may (if they can Old Jarind in the Khruni script) find the following passages marked.

...we made him (Avryn) a grave of good stone and earth, and we set wards and traps to guard his rest. Where the Shena is born from the Rhahir and Frenres bones lie amidst his faithful men and six slaves stand guard to watch their sleep.

...it (The Atani Chronicle) lies at his feet and shall keep his story and his master's secret for all eternity.

The second passage can be interpreted as a hint that Chwnyr knew something about the death of Daelda. Maldren has interpreted it in that way, which has increased his desire to lay his hands on the book even more badly.

Hidden Truths

Sir Lardis is well aware that the sending of an expedition to open the grave is a provocation for the Pagaelin tribes. This is the main reason why he sends adventurers and mercenaries instead of his own men.

Unknown to Sir Lardis, a Navehan spy has managed to infiltrate the village. When the rumors of the secret spread in Shenadun and especially after it becomes that Sir Lardis hires volunteers to search the grave, the spy will become very interested, as this might become a problem for the augur's activities. Should he find out that one possible treasure is a book giving details about the death of the Sindarin King Daelda, the Navehans will use all means to get their hands on the treasure, since acquiring knowledge about Daelda/Aedlad is their major objective.

The Augur

Kadon is completely unaware what kind of treasure lies hidden in the grave hills. He assumes them to be tribal graves and therefore to be empty of valuables, as the Pagaelin are not known to give presents to anyone, let alone the dead. If he finds out about the Atani Chronicle, he will be determined to get his hands on the book as it may further his career in the cult. Depending on how strong the characters appear, he will have them ambushed by his Raunirs and a couple of Pagaelin warriors or will offer them quarters in the trade post and then murder them in their sleep. If at all possible, he will try to maintain his disguise as a merchant.

The Grave of Avryn Ap Chlengvyr

Note: The traps that protect the grave are set by Khuzdul and are (meant to be) deadly. It might be advisable to have Maldren trigger (and be killed by) the first trap to give the PCs a warning. A careful party should manage to disable or avoid the traps.

The grave hills look quite peaceful during the day. The hill in the center is the grave of Avryn ap Chlengvyr and is described on the following pages. The other hills contain the mortal remains of the tribesmen who died in the battle.

The hills do not look very spectacular from the outside. Nothing implies that this was the place of a dreadful battle several hundred years ago. The only peculiar thing about the center hill is that there are no animals larger than insects on it. The few trees have no nests. Not even mice seem to occupy the overgrown sides of the hill. If the hill is thoroughly searched, the characters may discover an overgrown stone plate with a handle of bronze. It looks quite as if the entrance to the grave of Avryn Chlengvyr finally has been found.

Interior Map Notes

1. Entrance

Covered beneath some overgrowth lies a 7 foot deep hole. The tunnel into the grave hill is protected by a flat stone with a pull ring. If anyone is so foolish to pull the stone free, a spear trap is triggered. Inside, a heavy weight hits the shaft of a huge bronze spear. (See the side view of the barrow.)

Roll a d100: The victim is hit for 3d6 + 10 points impact in the thorax (01-50), the abdomen (51-70) or the hip (71-95). If the roll is 95+, a random location is hit; choose a location or re-roll on the standard combat table. The only way to safely disarm the trap is to trigger it by attaching a rope to the pull-ring and opening it from a safe distance. Ironically, the spear is the first treasure the characters can find. It was hardened with an enchantment and the wooden shaft is immune to aging processes. Its game statistics are: WQ: 17; WGT: 6 IMP: B5 E2 P10.

Behind the stone lies a 2' high and 3' wide tunnel that ends before a slate which has to be shoved inside to open the way into the first burial chamber. The slate is secured by three bronze rings to the roof of the tunnel and will swing back, only lightly hampering anyone climbing through, being only meant as a distraction from the next trap.

2. First Burial Chamber

Below the entrance into the first chamber is a trapdoor above a 10 foot pit with sharpened stakes at the bottom. An intruder creeping through the tunnel, probably hampered the slate, has little chance to spot the trap (this requires CS on an awareness test). Otherwise, only vigorous poking with a long object or stomping on the floor while maintaining a hold on the edge of the tunnel has a chance to detect the trap.

If the trap is not detected, the intruder falls through a trapdoor and hits the spikes below. Roll against the victim's climbing or acrobatics ML (whatever is higher): With a CS the victim can grab the edge of the trapdoor and prevent the fall into the pit: Roll 1d6 of blunt impact to a randomly determined body part. With a MS, the victim slows his fall considerably (taking 1d6 of edge impact from abrasion the elbows), but still hits the spikes for 1d6+6 point If the roll is a MF, the character crashes onto the edge of pit for 1d6 blunt impact to the hip and then falls into it for another 2d6+7 point impact on the spikes. A CF garantees a free passage onto the stakes on the floor of the pit for 3d6+7 of point impact.

The location struck depends on whether the character climbs head first or feet first out of the tunnel. Roll 1d100:

Roll Head first Feet first
Strike locationStrike location
01-35Skull Foot*
36-39Eye* Calf*
40-75Face Knee*
76-90Neck Foot & calf*
91-00Shoulder* Both Feet
*Even result = right; uneven result = left

The sarcophagi contain two of Avryn's most trusted lieutenants. Both were buried with their weapons and other possessions. Most of the iron gear has rusted away. Only an axehead of Khuzan make remains. Its handle has rotted away, but if a new one is attached, it is fully usable as a handaxe again. The edge is still as sharp as a razor. Its statistics are: WGT: 3.75 WQ: 15 IMP: B4 E9 P-

3. Second Tunnel

Another flat stone with a bronze pull ring in the form of a winged serpent conceals a tunnel like the first one that leads into the second burial chamber. This time, there is no trap attached to the pull ring. Anyone pulling the ring hard enough (16 STR points needed) can reveal the tunnel.

However, another trap is instead tied to the flat stone that stands at the end of the short tunnel, innocently appearing like another slate. This one, like the one ending the first tunnel, has to be pushed inside to open the second chamber, but demands considerable strength to do so (STR 13 and above). If the flat stone is pushed away, the ceiling of the tunnel collapses, hitting anything below it for 2d6 of blunt impact. Again, the feet or the head of the character may be hit, depending on whether he crawls head first or feet first. A character who is buried head first under the rubble of the collapsing ceiling is in danger to suffocate unless he is freed. Attempts to free the victim have to be handled with GM's discretion. Mining or Engineering skills may come in handy.

The only way to safely disarm the trap is to insert supporting beams into the tunnel. This may reduce the space to climb through it considerably. Characters might get stuck if they are size 7 or larger (roll 3d6 against AGL).

4. Main Burial Chamber

The second burial chamber is richly decorated with all sorts of booty: weapons and armor as well as treasure and jewelry from the looted fallen enemies are arranged along the walls. Two bronze braziers stand alongside the walls, still filled with coals. A stone sarcophagus stands at the back wall of the chamber.

The burial chamber of Avryn ap Chlengvyr is filled with treasure and with traps. The first trap is attached to the lid of the sarcophagus. If it is moved, a heavy stone block falls from overhead. The block is very well aimed, but the mechanism gives a loud screeching sound as the block falls. Allow any character standing in front of the sarcophagus a roll against the Dodge ML. Consider the stone block to attack with critical success and a basic blunt impact of 10. Consult the Dodge combat table: With a CS, a character may escape all damage; with CF, a character might get hit by as much as 3d6+10 of blunt impact. The hit location can be determined with a d100: 01-80 Skull; 81-95 Shoulder; 96-100 other (roll on the strike locations table).

Characters searching the walls and ceiling carefully may detect the block trap [roll against 2x EYE or 4x TOUCH, depending on the method used for searching]. The characters might also note small ventilation shafts in the walls and ceiling.

If one or two of the braziers are lit, they seem to do nothing save giving light, but inside of them a fuse runs down and automatically triggers trap 4. In addition to that, the coal mix inside the braziers begins to emit a poisonous gas [H5] after two minutes.

Inside the sarcophagus no less than three coffins lay on each other. The upper two contain loyal bodyguards of the warchief, who died in his defense and were laid to rest above him, so that they also defend his burial place. Each of them is richly clad, even if much of the equipment is now little more than rusted trash, and each has a richly decorated sword on its chest. While the blades have rusted away, the hilts are made of bronze, jet and ivory and look valuable. Both might be mistaken as the mortal remains of Avryn ap Chlengvyr, as the builders of the grave hoped.

The third skeleton at the bottom finally is the one of Avryn ap Chlengvyr. Much of his equipment has rotted away, but there are several items that withstood the time and the dampness.

The Atani Chronicles lie down at his feet, wrapped in the remains of a leather bag.

His armor consists of a decorated bronze helmet, with cheekpieces and a scale attachment to protect the neck, a mail shirt and bronze greaves and vambraces. The armor was a gift of the khuzan king and is enchanted.

On his chest, still clutched in the grip of his skeletal hands, lies his famous sword -Y´AendringĄ in a jeweled scabbard. Anyone trying to take it from his grip has to wrestle it free. Those who do so are likely to regret it.

A thin silver chain is tied to the scabbard from the underside, not visible from above. The chain is connected to a flint-lock mechanism under the sarcophagus.

The only way to safely disable the trap is to carefully examine the scabbard (roll against 4x TOUCH). If detected, the chain may be safely cut with a pair of pincers. If less appropriate tools (like a knife etc.) are used, roll against TOUCH x2 or Lockcraft (whatever is higher). A success indicates that the chain has been cut. A failure means that the chain is cut but the trap is triggered.

If the sword is moved more than two inches a particularly vicious trap is triggered: The whole grave is nothing but a well prepared pyre. It was created to cremate the dead, if their rest is disturbed, and the would-be looters as well. The flint lock ignites a fuse that goes through a small tunnel to the floor of the first burial chamber from where a second fuse tunnel leads back to the main chamber. Both floors are drenched in an extremely flammable substance called Krazak Fire. Two minutes after the trap is triggered, the first chamber will be completely on fire and impassable. Allow an awareness check for characters in the second chamber after one minute. Anyone in the first chamber will automatically notice the fire after 10 seconds.

Getting away from the chambers is problematic as the slates swing back neatly into their frames, leaving no way to pull them open again from the inside. They have been enchanted by a Khuzan Jmorvi (sorcerer of metals and minerals) and can withstand considerable damage. Only blunt impact has any chance to break them. Note that the pit trap in front of the slate in the first chamber makes it hard to swing effectively [-10 to attack rolls]. If burning, the floor adds its share of distractions in both chambers [apply a cumulative penalty of -10 every second round]. Characters have to make normal attack rolls against Ignore defense. Any blunt impact of 16+ will shatter the slate. Note that anyone from outside can push the slates open without difficulty.

Those who happen to be in the second chamber when the fire is started are in serious trouble. Consider the fire to cause an impact of 1d6 starting in round 1 and increasing by one d6 every two rounds to a maximum of 6d6 from round 12 onward. The second chamber starts to burn one minute after chamber one. Concealed ventilation shafts allow the fire to get enough oxygen. The grave hill turns into a crematory, finally sending the ash of the deceased into the sky as the ceiling crumbles (hopefully without any characters still inside).

Treasure

Only a few items are presented here. The GM should feel free to add additional treasure according to the treasure tables as he sees fit.

Since the dead in the grave are from a battlefield, most of the treasure are the few weapons which have not rusted or rotted away over the time.

Bronze Helmet

This halfhelm is made of bronze in size 7 and weighs 4 pounds. Plate parts cover the Skull, Nose and Cheek (Plate protection B9 E12 P10 F8 S8 T11). The neck is covered by a mail attachment (protection B5 E10 P7 F5 S4 T7).

Mail Short Hauberk

The Hauberk is Size 7 and weighs 32 pounds. It covers the Upper Arm, Shoulder, Thorax, Abdomen, Hip, Groin and Thighs (protection B5 E10 P7 F5 S4 T7).

Broadsword

Avryn's famous sword Aendring "Sevenstrike" is a richly decorated broadsword of Khuzan origin.

Weight: 3.75 WQ: 16 Impact: B4 E9 P5.

The sword is enchanted to cause extra impact on every seventh strike. Every time the sword is used to attack, parry or counterstrike counts as one strike. On the seventh strike the sword does an extra 2d6 of impact. If the seventh strike results in a block, the sword adds 2d6 to its quality and to the opposing weapon's damage roll.

The enchantment works by storing energy from six strikes and discharging it on the seventh. Energy stored this way cannot be held for long and vanishes after an hour.

The energy stored demands more than just kinetic energy. It can only be drawn from mortal combat, so neither a friendly fencing nor bashing the sword against a solid object counts as a strike.

The Atani Chronicles

If the characters manage to retrieve the book from the grave hill, it may direct them to more adventures ahead. What exactly is written in it is up to the GM. Chwnyr concentrates on the history of his clan, but may have recorded any information the GM wants to reveal to his players.

Pagaelin Attack

Sooner or later the Augur is likely to find out about the book that Maldren hopes to find. He will wait until the characters have retrieved it from the ruins and then take measures to make sure that it falls into his hands. He will choose his action according to the impression the characters make. If they appear weak he is likely to have his Raunirs and a few Pagaelin warriors attack. If they appear strong he might offer them quarter in the trade post and try to assassinate them in their sleep. If he chooses to attack, he will try to use the spooky surroundings to his best advantage, waiting until nightfall and then letting his Raunirs attack in their ritual garb. Superstitious characters may well mistake the Navehans for wraiths or ghosts.

Possible Outcomes

If the players manage to survive the traps and beat off the attack, they may carry home any treasure they have found. Remember that Sir Lardis still wants two-thirds of their findings. He might be generous if the PCs discover the secrets of the Augur Lodge or if he needs them to subdue the Pagaelin.

If the PCs decide to sneak away with their findings, had better leave Chybisa forever if Sir Lardis finds out. He is not a forgiving man and has the means to make the characters feel his wrath.

Neither the Pagaelin nor the Navehans are inclined to overlook the incident. This is especially true if information about the Atani Chronicles reaches the temple at Bejist. Further steps by the Navehans and the Pagaelin are up to the GM and may range from a few reprisal acts to a full scale tribal war and an orgy of assassination. If the characters keep the book for themselves, the Navehans will try to hunt them down wherever they may hide.