More than a dozen ancient skeletons grasping bronze khopeshes and outfitted in lamellar armor and wicker shields are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor. Against the north wall sits a carved stone throne, upon which slumps the mummified body of an obviously-important warrior wearing a bejeweled iron crown. In his gnarled right hand, he clutches an exquisite battleaxe which glows softly in the darkness of the crypt.
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor.
The chamber is empty save for dozens of straw mats lining the dusty floor.
At the end of this seemingly dead-end passage is a deliberately-obvious “secret door” (anyone searching the west wall “discovers” a suspicious-looking panel automatically).
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the floor of this crypt. A carved stone sarcophagus rests near the angled south walls. The stone lid is carved with ancient glyphs that tell the tale of Tiyamuzi—Champion of the Coyote Clan. Bloodoath-Keeper.
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the floor of this dusty crypt. A profusion of jars rest on the floor against the east and west walls. A carved stone sarcophagus stands near the angled south walls. The lid is carved with ancient glyphs that name the interred as Ninu the Ageless—Wise-woman of the Coyote Clan. Outsider.
The walls, floor, and ceiling of this hall are covered with finely-worked carvings that depict pastoral/quasi-ceremonial scenes of beasts and hill-men.
The north wing of this chamber is lined with 5-ft. high arched alcoves (13 total). Seated cross-legged on the floor of each alcove is a robed and hooded figure, draped with dusty cobwebs. To the south is a wider antechamber with an elaborate arched exit, flanked by a pair of alcoves in which stand lamellar-armored skeletons holding bronze khopeshes and wicker shields. On the floor before the exit is a colorful mosaic which remains vivid even through the thick layer of dust.
In the outer corridor (area 10a), a DC 18 (Perception) check spots the telltale seams of a secret panel on the south wall. The panel pushes inward, revealing a passage beyond. Dim light flickers from around the bend.
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor.
The corridor from area 7 dead-ends in a crudely-rendered wall carving of a male figure with a coyote’s head addressing six coyotes. The figure wears a tight tunic and holds a staff capped with an orb of fire; with his other hand he points to the orb with his index finger hooked down.
More than a dozen ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor. A 2-ft. sq. niche is set at chest height in the north corner of the west wall.
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor. A crudely-carved stone sarcophagus rests before the angled north walls. The lid of the sarcophagus is sealed with lead and carved with ancient glyphs that tell the tale of Saba—Wife of Chief Mesharsu of the Coyote Clan; Huntress of the Great Plain.
Dozens of ancient skeletons are laid out on straw mats lining the dusty floor. A carved stone sarcophagus rests before the angled north walls. The lid of the sarcophagus is sealed with lead and carved with ancient glyphs that tell the tale of Ikakit—General of the Coyote Clan; Hero of the People.
The chamber is lit by torches as (4) tomb robbers work to pry open the lid of a stone sarcophagus. A sealed clay jar and a bronze coffer stand against the north wall. The tomb robbers crack the seal open just as the party arrives, releasing stale vapors when the lid shunts slightly to the side.
Many boot prints on the dusty floor lead into and out of this chamber from both the east and north exits (areas 1 and 4). Shattered bones litter the area around the east entrance. A dozen straw mats cover the floor, and a man’s corpse is laid out on one mat in the southwest corner, next to a pile of equipment. The muffled sounds of hammering and faint voices can be heard in the direction of area 4, and dim light flickers on the walls of the north passage.
Many boot prints on the dusty floor lead in and out of both entrances to this chamber, which is empty save for a stone basin carved into the east wall. The basin and the stone wall surrounding it are carved with crudely-rendered versions of local flora and fauna. The muffled sounds of hammering and faint voices can be heard in the direction of area 3.
NOTE: In my campaign, the tomb robbers recently discovered the dolmen and began plundering the tomb beneath. Their desecration of this site has caused the dead within to stir. If the dungeon is being run as “undisturbed,” then a few of the initial descriptions can be adjusted accordingly.
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Background
The undead in this tomb are the restless spirits of an ancient nomadic people from the Horse Plains to the west of the Badlands. They are not evil (although they can be turned like normal undead), but are instead animated by a burning desire for vengeance on the evil cultists who betrayed them long ago and caused their deaths (similar to the animus that drives a revenant).
Each of the major undead creatures in the crypts guards a sacred clan relic, with the intent of passing each item along to proven heroes who can then use them as instruments of their vengeance. This will not be immediately apparent to the party until they encounter either Ninu (area 14) or Chief Mesharsu (area 20), but killing the undead and releasing their spirits, and then taking possession of these relics is the entire point of this dungeon.
