Episode 1: The Salvaged Job

The door is not locked, and opens into a long hallway that travels west a fair distance before hooking north to a small room. There isn't much of interest in this chamber, just bundles of rags and folded cloth along the walls. Perhaps this was a storeroom, but whatever laid within has long gone.

There is another open door on the other side of the room. This is a straight hallway that travels north to a closed door.

Map

Back at the room with the carpet of bones, the party shuffle through the femurs and kick aside the ribs, clattering a xylophonic melody throughout the chamber.

The door within the southern wall is locked.

Daniel settles into position by the locked door. "Let's see," he mumbles, using his small tools to fish into the keyhole.

Unlocking the door proves difficult, and Daniel discovers that in addition to being locked, something's blocking the keyhole from the other side. He manages to turn and push the object free, and everyone hears the clatter of metal against stone opposite the door. Daniel turns the tumblers and the door is unlocked.

Opening the door reveals a small storage room. Stacks of clay urns rest against the walls, some neatly arranged while others appear to have tumbled or fallen into broken piles. All of the urns are empty.

A single skeleton lies in the middle of the room, flimsy robes almost melting around it. There is a metal flask by the remains of a bony hand, empty. A book rests by its ribcage, the cover stained a dull black from time. Many pages disintegrate and flake away, with thick sections seemingly glued together. A few loose sheets of paper contain some legible writing, while the rest of the book is blank.A small metal key rests by the door.

You all descend the stairs. With torchlight and darkvision, you can see a long straight hallway stretching to the south. A branching corridor heads eastward, though at this angle you are unable to see where it leads. The hallway itself ends at a turn further down.

As soon as Maenor's foot reaches the bottom step, a blast of wind funnels from beyond. It washes over you all as it moves up the stairs, carrying a reek of decay and death. A low moan echoes around you, reverberating against the stone walls. The hum and vibration sink deep into your bodies like icy talons, and the torch flickers low with the wind to cast you into a shadowy darkness.

The moment passes. The torch comes back to life, and the shadows retreat from your presence.

Map (See "Level 2")

Moving down the hallway, you reach the first branch and find a closed door. A brief inspection shows it to be in the same condition as the door that was stuck on the upper level.

It is difficult to determine if one can feel the presence of a specific evil, or if is merely the fact that the entire area exudes a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The silence in these passageways seems to open your senses to things that aren't there. The air has a definite chill that threatens to suck the warmth from your bones. A very delicate and deliberate tingle caresses the back of your neck... a sensation not unlike one you would have if someone were standing right behind you.