With some trepidation, the adventurers enter the caves underneath the Faushlag rock in search of the necromancer Klaus Gurtelrose.
They come upon what looks like an ancient, dwarf built hold. Heavily dilapidated, cracked flagstones with lichen and a partially collapsed roof dripping with water. They are immediately greeted by five skeleton knights. Their ancient, heavy armour is recognised by Otfried as belonging to the Teutogen tribe, which means the corpses are about two thousand years old.
On top of that, Mandred & Otfried sense a foul curse in the air. Ignoring the curse, Otfried explodes in a circle of holy fire, burning away armour & bones on the undead knights. The others make short work of the damaged undead.
They come upon what looks like an ancient, dwarf built hold. Heavily dilapidated, cracked flagstones with lichen and a partially collapsed roof dripping with water. They are immediately greeted by five skeleton knights. Their ancient, heavy armour is recognised by Otfried as belonging to the Teutogen tribe, which means the corpses are about two thousand years old.
On top of that, Mandred & Otfried sense a foul curse in the air. Ignoring the curse, Otfried explodes in a circle of holy fire, burning away armour & bones on the undead knights. The others make short work of the damaged undead.
Looking around, the heroes find themselves in a welcome hall, as used in the olden days by dwarfs, it ends in a sturdy wooden door, reinforced with iron. A haunting spirit emerges and refuses them passage. Only after Otfried promises he will release her suffering spirit does she agree to open the door. Beyond lies a large corridor, very unlike dwarfs would build them which leads Gotrak to believe the construction was commissioned for humans. A large mural depicts an army on horseback, fighting a huge tentacled monster. Otfried recognises the depiction as being that of Pendrag von Blucher, one of Sigmar's right hand men and the first Count of Middenheim.
The corridor goes left or right, the heroes go left and open a door that leads to a large dining hall. The end of the hall is decorated by the stone carving of a massive dragon's head. After some searching the crew finds a small hole with a corpse next to it. The hole is trapped but Felix manages to pull a lever inside it and with a rumble the jaws of the dragon open, revealing a crawlspace. One by one they squirm trough and emerge in a domed, round chamber beyond. It's walls are set with pale clay and in the middle of it is a dark pool, bones jut out of it at odd angles. The center of the pool has a dais to which is chained an ancient humanoid skull with large horns. There are several unholy symbols carved on it which Mandred recognises as chaos magic. He detects the chains themselves are magical in nature too. Having studied some forbidden tomes while in Middenheim, Mandred defines the use of the skull: an Oracle! However, without the ritual spell needed to activate it it is of no use. There are two more doors in the room.
They take a door that leads to the necromancer's alchemy lab. As they start searching the room a Banshee, accompanied by several spectres attack the heroes.
The fight against these ethereal undead is harrowing and leaves its mark on some of the adventurers but in the end they are victorious.
Searching the lab, they finds various potions, books and recipes for potions. They also see an ornate Thurible (an incense ball) which Felix secretly pockets. Mandred has the change to stock up on some of his magical ingredients.
The corridor goes left or right, the heroes go left and open a door that leads to a large dining hall. The end of the hall is decorated by the stone carving of a massive dragon's head. After some searching the crew finds a small hole with a corpse next to it. The hole is trapped but Felix manages to pull a lever inside it and with a rumble the jaws of the dragon open, revealing a crawlspace. One by one they squirm trough and emerge in a domed, round chamber beyond. It's walls are set with pale clay and in the middle of it is a dark pool, bones jut out of it at odd angles. The center of the pool has a dais to which is chained an ancient humanoid skull with large horns. There are several unholy symbols carved on it which Mandred recognises as chaos magic. He detects the chains themselves are magical in nature too. Having studied some forbidden tomes while in Middenheim, Mandred defines the use of the skull: an Oracle! However, without the ritual spell needed to activate it it is of no use. There are two more doors in the room.
They take a door that leads to the necromancer's alchemy lab. As they start searching the room a Banshee, accompanied by several spectres attack the heroes.
The fight against these ethereal undead is harrowing and leaves its mark on some of the adventurers but in the end they are victorious.
Searching the lab, they finds various potions, books and recipes for potions. They also see an ornate Thurible (an incense ball) which Felix secretly pockets. Mandred has the change to stock up on some of his magical ingredients.
Tomb of the Thaumaturgist
Leaving the oracle room trough the other door, the adventurers arrive in a natural cave with an underground stream. It has been decorated as a small chapel with a lifesize marble statue of a priest. Upon inspection of the devotionals they show the life and miraculous actions of the priest, mainly his conflicts against the forces of Nagash.
He was the first necromancer in the time of Sigmar. The murals are examined thoroughly and the heroes notice that the priest is always shown carrying an incense ball in a chain. They look at the statue and see that the item is missing, it looks like the priest should be holding it. Felix sheepishly produces it and places the item into the priests hands. There is a slight hissing sound and the release of magic. A secret door opens to a long staircase upwards. Beyond that are two suspension bridges, spanning an endless chasm. Once more, Felix disables the traps and the crew ventures deeper.
They come upon another door that leads to a corridor with two more doors. Taking the left door takes them to a dilapidated guard room. Once more the dead stir from their graves but regular skeletons are no match for the heroes' might. Beyond the guard room is another corridor but it's impassible because it collapsed into a fissure. the other end is visible but rather than trying to cross, the crew decides to investigate the rest of the dungeon first
He was the first necromancer in the time of Sigmar. The murals are examined thoroughly and the heroes notice that the priest is always shown carrying an incense ball in a chain. They look at the statue and see that the item is missing, it looks like the priest should be holding it. Felix sheepishly produces it and places the item into the priests hands. There is a slight hissing sound and the release of magic. A secret door opens to a long staircase upwards. Beyond that are two suspension bridges, spanning an endless chasm. Once more, Felix disables the traps and the crew ventures deeper.
They come upon another door that leads to a corridor with two more doors. Taking the left door takes them to a dilapidated guard room. Once more the dead stir from their graves but regular skeletons are no match for the heroes' might. Beyond the guard room is another corridor but it's impassible because it collapsed into a fissure. the other end is visible but rather than trying to cross, the crew decides to investigate the rest of the dungeon first
Necromancer's Study
Navigating deeper into the lair, the heroes stumble upon the study of Klaus Gurtelrose. They find numerous books about necromancy but also about anatomy and celestial theories. After all, in his previous life, Klaus mas a magister of the celestial order. Mandred grabs the Liber Necris, a renowned and forbidden tome. It is the most comprehensive repository about undeath and necromancy that exists. Furthermore, apart from a large stockpile of magical ingredients, the heroes find a curious letter. The letter implies that there exists some other Magister of the Cult of the Purple Hand by the name of Egrimm van Horstmann.
Continuing their exploration of the tombs, the adventurers come across an empty Throne Room and beyond that a Magical Portal. The portal is closed and can be used by performing the proper ritual. Other that that they also come across a large underground waterfall. They see that beyond the water, the dungeon continues but they are unable to pass trough it, due to the sheer force of water coming down from above. There must be some other way of opening it.
And so, the adventurers return to the entrance where they left an unexplored corridor.
And so, the adventurers return to the entrance where they left an unexplored corridor.
Cult of the Foetid Maw
The adventurers encounter a long, natural cave. There is something odd about it though, it's roughly oval in diameter and has stalagmites or Stalactites growing from the sides, while the top and bottom of the cave are smooth. When about half of the warriors have entered, the whole structure suddenly swings into its "natural" position, causing several heroes to fall down upon the protrusions. The stalagmites have been sharpened and coated with a poisonous disease. Felix, who was up front is infected by it.
The adventurers ascend some rickety stairs that lead to a large room with several beds, tables and chairs. The room is occupied by Nurgle cultists. A shrine to Grandfather Plague sits in a corner, looking suspiciously like three large testicles.
As soon as they enter, the cultists cast spells, dissipating into a large cloud of angry buzzing gnat-flies and releasing noxious, foul vapours.
Lothar contracts the disease Neiglish Rot.
With the cultists fled, the heroes ransack the room, destroying any reference to chaos. They learn that this room is one of the sleeper cells for the Cult of the Foetid Maw.
The adventurers ascend some rickety stairs that lead to a large room with several beds, tables and chairs. The room is occupied by Nurgle cultists. A shrine to Grandfather Plague sits in a corner, looking suspiciously like three large testicles.
As soon as they enter, the cultists cast spells, dissipating into a large cloud of angry buzzing gnat-flies and releasing noxious, foul vapours.
Lothar contracts the disease Neiglish Rot.
With the cultists fled, the heroes ransack the room, destroying any reference to chaos. They learn that this room is one of the sleeper cells for the Cult of the Foetid Maw.
The Temple of Bones
Beyond the next door is another grand hallway, Lined with big pillars of bone. There are two doors flanking the room and an archway that leads deeper into the complex. Felix finds & disables some more traps. The door to the left leads to a sacrificial pit. A blood spattered altar stands before a chasm. The other door opens to a throne room. The corpse on it stirs and comes to unlife, the heroes have stumbled upon a Liche! Necromancers who find a way to beat the death. These are Liches, beings with such a mastery of the Purple Wind that they've managed to arrest decay within their own bodies long after death and time should have claimed them.
This is not Klaus Gurtelrose but rather The Priest who accompanied the ancient hero Pendrag which Klaus has chained to his will.
The Liche's magic is powerful and deadly but its ancient, brittle bones are no match for the adventurers battle-hardened tactics. Never the less after they defeated the Liche, several adventurers are badly wounded. They continue deeper into the complex.
This is not Klaus Gurtelrose but rather The Priest who accompanied the ancient hero Pendrag which Klaus has chained to his will.
The Liche's magic is powerful and deadly but its ancient, brittle bones are no match for the adventurers battle-hardened tactics. Never the less after they defeated the Liche, several adventurers are badly wounded. They continue deeper into the complex.
Beyond the Throne room lies a burial chamber, where Pendrag von Blucher's luitenants are entombed. The heroes ignore these and continue on into the chamber of bones. Here they encounter and defeat an bone spirit. Beyond that, they find the bone pit, which lies underneath the sacrificial chasm. After some serious searching they find a hidden lever, again with a half-burned skeleton next to it. Felix disabled the trap again and after pulling the lever they hear a whooshing sound of water. They deduce they must have found the entrance for the waterfall doorway above.
To be continued...
Ps: during the ordeal and explorations, Otfried and Felix lost their mind. Felix and Lothar contracted a disease and Mandred gained another mutation.
To be continued...
Ps: during the ordeal and explorations, Otfried and Felix lost their mind. Felix and Lothar contracted a disease and Mandred gained another mutation.