Episode 1: The Salvaged Job

Through his darkvision, Maenor squeezes his way into the mound. It is a tight fit with all of his belongings, but he manages to shimmy his way into a small domed chamber. Surrounded by what looks like uneven solid rock, the elf sees that the floor is paved with stone tile. The ceiling by the rock walls are 4-feet high, forcing Maenor to stoop a little, but rises to 6-feet at the apex of the dome.

Scattered around the chamber are small clay pots of various size, from as small as a beer stein to one as tall as a flower vase. Even in the dim light of his darkvision, Maenor can see that cobwebs and dust cake their surfaces.

In the middle of the chamber is a solid stone slab, approximately 3-feet wide and 6-feet long, with a stone tomb resting upon it. At the edges of the slab are the remnants of spent candles, nothing more than slicks of melted wax. The lid of the tomb is askew, resting against the slab and a part of the floor, looking as though it had been flipped over.

As the torch pushes back the darkness, more of the room is revealed. Faded bas-relief on the walls depict a procession of slaves, servants, and soldiers in heirarchical order starting from the entrance, along the sides of the chamber, leading to the opposite end where a large seated figure rests. This figure seems dressed in elaborate chain, one hand holding the hilt of a sword point-down while the other grasps an illuminated staff spreading its rays over the heads of the processional.

However, as the lines spread across the ceiling they begin to entwine. At the junction from the wall, the rays form an organized pattern of knots that bring to mind a canopy of leaves and branches. Spreading upward across the ceiling, the lines becomes erratic, twisting into a random and chaotic jumble until it reaches a gigantic open eye that rests in the center. The corners of the eye align with the axis of the tomb, as though eternally watching whatever is within.

The entire party is now within this small chamber, standing near the crack in the wall that allowed them entrance. Kalis' torch flickers, causing the bas-relief images to appear as though they are marching and the twisting rays on the ceiling to appear writhing, but this effect fades rather quickly as your eyes settle. You also see that the tiled floor forms a spiraling pattern from the walls with alternating light and dark lines centering towards the stone slab in the middle.

There is no sound save for the crack in the torch. The air is musty, though not oppressive. No other movement can be seen, nor can you see inside the open sarcophagus.

As Kalis walks across the floor, his feet step upon one of the dark spiraling lines. The tile under his boot cracks with a sharp echo.

Kalis reaches the sarcophagus, which on its pedestal rises to his chest. He leans forward and brings his torch over the edge, and the light spills downward to reveal a set of stairs made of stone. These stairs descend into what looks like a hallway leading north.

A gust of wind rushes through the crack in the wall, resounding in a low moan that rises as the cobwebs sway.

Then it is silent, and the room grows still.

Kalis' torch illuminates a hallway just as Maenor reaches the bottom of the stairs. The tiled floor and stone walls are bare of any decoration, save for the cracks of time. There is an empty sconce on one side of the wall. You make room as everyone descends into the hallway.

Ahead is a door made of shriveled grey wood bound by iron bands. It is slightly ajar.

Map