Patreon Supported 5-Minute Adventure - Tomb of the Past Revealed

This is the first Patreon supported 5-minuted adventure with a map provided by +Dyson Logos. All Patreons will get a .pdf version of this adventure at the end of the month (as part of an anthology with my over free adventures this month) with art work and layout.

This is the third Icago adventure, the first two being "Shrine of Thiseir" and "Spectres of Usarm". This adventure and the upcoming "Assault on the Southern Horn" go a long, long way to answering many of the 2-page adventure story questions and setting up for the final push.

This adventure is for Swords & Wizardry but compatible with most OSR style games and suitable for players of the 4th through 6th level.

You can find more of Dyson's maps on his own page!
You can find my Patreon page here.

Tomb of Past Revealed

Written By

Johua De Santo

Cartography Courtesy of

Dyson Logos

Adventure Background

The village of Icago has seen its fair share of problems recently. Between Orc attacks, the death of its mayor by an Outsider mage, and the appearance of the forgotten race of Dark Elves the town is on the verge of collapse.

Now to make matters worse the young of the village have begun to vanish in the night spirited away in the wind as parents sleep and guards worry over the Orc who have besieged the village.

What little investigation that has been done points to the ancient crypts of the Fell; the first family of Icago.

Approaching the Fell Crypt

The crypt lay under the town of Icago and can be reached by a single mausoleum tomb in the town’s cemetery. Two guards have been placed on duty at the mausoleum but neither has seen or heard anything since they have taken up their post two days ago.

The cemetery is quiet save for the howling wind in the chill autumn air. For some odd reason the Orc Raiders have refused to set foot within the bounds of the cemetery making it quite safe from the northern raiders.

If the PCs should attempt to explore the cemetery they have a three in six chance of encountering the following while they explore:

Roll (d10)	Encountered
1	Will-o-Wisp (S&W Core)
2-3	4d8 Skeletons (S&W Core)
4-5	1d6 Wrights (S&W Core)
6-7	1d100 Zombie Ravens (0E Monster Book Reloaded)
8-9	3d6 Leper Zombies (0E Monster Book Reloaded)
10	Gallows Tree (0E Monster Book Reloaded)

From the Mausoleum a long flight of narrow stairs lead down into the earth. At first these stairs are worked stone, placed by the builders but about halfway down the stairs become hewn from the natural sandstone of the area. The stairs lead down about a hundred feet into the depths of the earth and into darkness.

Area 1

A large cavernous chamber with a domed ceiling featuring a mural of some of ancient wonder of metal and magic that encircles the lower half of the dome like a long cylinder, writing on the cylinder proclaims it as the “Reading R.R.”. Above the ancient wonder is a scene of pastoral beauty at night, the stairs twinkling when any light is shone on them. To the left and right are closed doors of a heavy metal and before the PCs on a raised dais is a giant of a coffin.

Behind the coffin is another door with a giant skull of carved rock set into its center (this is actually a Skull Mural – See Below). From under the metal doors to the left and right light can be seen.

Enemies – Skull Mural (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 3; AC 6[13]; Atk 1 Strike (1d6); MV 3; SV 16; CL/XP 3/60; SPC Drain Fluid)

Treasure – Each of the gems in the ceiling are worth 5gp each and the interior of the coffin features a golden breastplate and a fine-jewel encrusted sword worth a combined 30gp.

Area 2

This long rectangular room is little more than a dead-end hallway. Two the right alcoves with coffins running up the walls linger in darkness. Two the left, two metal doors are shut tight, from within those doors the sounds of quiet sobbing can be heard.

A single lantern hangs from the wall between the doors where two tall, guant looking humans with mid-night blue skin, stand at perfect attention. Should they be approached by the PCs they will draw their weapons and attack.

Enemies – Minor Archanix (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 3; Atk 1 weapon (1d8), special ability, or stolen spell; ST 14; MV 12; CL/XP 5/240; SPC Spell Casting ; Steal Spell; Teleport

Treasure – None

Area 3 & 4

These two rooms are cold and damp, huddled into the angled corners of each are a group of children ranging from 4 to 16 and make up the vast majority of the missing children of Icago. The children are scared, hungry and extremely cold and will stammer and fly into sobbing hysterics if questioned. The only information any can readily give is that the Blue people took a few of the other children earlier that day.

Enemies – None

Treasure – None

Area 5

A long hallway leads back to a medium-sized room that appears to have once served as a temple to some unknown god. Investigation will uncover a golden “t” shaped ornament on the ground behind the altar at the front of the small temple.

Enemies – None

Treasure – The “t” shaped relic is made of pure gold and worth 50 gp

Area 6

This corner splits into two small alcoves that descend into damp minor tombs. Investigation of these tombs will reveal small containers hidden under the coffins with jewelry beset with rare black gems.

Enemies – None

Treasure – 2 Jewelry pouches worth a combined 100gp.

Area 7

A small room that appears to have been a small altar at some point in the tomb’s history. A few candle sticks, ancient and much rotted rest on the ground covered in cobwebs. A few large spider webs dangle from the ceiling. If the characters look up they will see the Drider negating her ability to surprise them.

Enemies – Drider (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 7; AC 3[16]; Atk 1 Weapon (1d8); MV 18; ST 9; CL/XP 9/1100; SPC Specials, magical abilities

Treasure – “t” shaped relic worth 50 gp

Area 8

Chanting can be heard from this room in a language unheard of. Upon Entering the PCs will find themselves at a crossroads with halls on either side. However, several of the tall blue-skinned humanoids are occupying the room as well as the dark skinned Drow that have recently appeared all over Usarm (note – See Spectres of Usarm). One of the tall blue skin people in the fore of the room stands over a glowing arcane symbol holding a ritual dagger to the form of a naked 16 year-old boy who floats within the symbol.

Should the PCs interrupt the ceremony the lead blue skin will step into the arcane symbol and he and the child will vanish. Should the PCs not interfere he will cut the throat of the child who will vanish only to be replaced by a tall gangly looking creature in fleshy robs and a strange tendril – like beard.

Enemies

Drow (3) – HD 2+2; AC 4[15]; Atk Weapon (1d8+2); ST 13; MV 12; AL C; CL/XP 3/60; SPC Immune (Poison, Charm, Sleep), Dark Vision 120'

Minor Archanix (4) (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 3; Atk 1 weapon (1d8), special ability, or stolen spell; ST 14; MV 12; CL/XP 5/240; SPC Spell Casting ; Steal Spell; Teleport

Major Archanix(1)(0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 6; AC 7[12]; Atk 1 weapon (1d8), special ability, or stolen spell; ST 11; MV 12; CL/XP 8/8000; SPC Spell Casting ; Steal Spell; Teleport

(optional) Thelidu (1) (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 4+3; AC 5[14]; Atk 2 claws (1d6), tentacles (1d4); MV 13; SV 12; CL/XP 8/800; SPC Mental Powers, Brain Extraction

Area 9 & 10

A long corridor with several alcoves with beds built into them. The skeletons that once lived in these places have been dumped onto the floor. Currently the beds are empty.

Enemies – None

Treasure – None

Area 11

This small turn in the corridor features several alcoves. As the PCs pace between one but before the reach the other light begins to burn from both and 4 Pyre Zombie emerge from each alcove.

Enemies – Zombie, Pyre (8) – HD 2; AC 8[11]; Atk 1 strike (1d8); MV 6; ST 16; CL/XP 3/60; SPC Immune to sleep, charm, immolation

Treasure – None

Area 12

Strange devices that glow a sickly green line the walls in even rows. Each small half domed device is filled with strange purplish liquid that pulses with sparks of lightning. While most of the chambers are empty a few have brains floating within them.

Enemies – None

Treasure – None

Area 13

The ancient iron door to this chamber is sealed shut and no lock is present. Entry here can only be accomplished through forcing the door and alerting the enemies of Area 14. The chamber is a small crypt, with a simple wooden coffin at its center. Another “t” relic, large and made of gold has been placed atop the coffin and several other stand on golden stands at each corner of the coffin.

Should the players remove all the artifacts the coffin lid will begin to pulse, accompanied by a banging sound that echoes in the small chamber. After several of these the top of the coffin will explode and a gaunt looking human figure will climb out of the coffin.

This is Artemis Fell the sire of the Fell family who brought Icago through the collapse centuries ago. He is thankful to the PCs for their aid in releasing him from his prison and offers them the gift of not being fed upon.

Fell is inquisitive and questions the PCs greatly about the world and the time he has been away. When all conversation is done he will thank the PCs again and vanish. Unknown to the PCs he is returning to Icago to begin his feeding.

If the PCs attack Fell he become enraged and return the attacks brutally, angered that the PCs have not only raided his family tomb but that they dare raise arms to him.

Enemies – Artemis Fell (S&W Core) – HD 7; AC 2[17]; Atk Bite (1d10+level drain);

ST 9; MV 12/18 (flying); AL C; CL/XP 9/1,100; SPC Immune to mundane wpns, Regenerate 3 hp/rnd, Summon 4d8 bats or 3d6 wolves; Charm Person (save -2); Level Drain 2 lvls

Treasure – None

Area 14

This area may have once been a crypt of a chapel of some sort but has been converted to a richly appointed office complete with blood red tapestries with strange cross like symbols, and a large oak desk near the rear.

Several more of the devises from Area 12 line the back wall, streams of lightning bouncing between them to a low humming sound.

A rather tall, tentacled faced being in a black uniform sits at the desk and when the PCs enter the Area he waves a hand and the door closes behind them.

Thy'is'ka'ro – A Thelidu of high rank in his own plane of the Outside. Once was an important member of the Thelidu order of the R3 expedition that ended with the destruction of the 5^th Age of Usarm. Well spoken with a slight accent, Thy'is'ka'ro believes in manners above all else and will take great offense (meaning he'll extract that person's brian last and painfully) to any who do not observe mannerly conduct. He doesn't believe the PCs have a chance to best him or escape and is quite will to talk and will even off the PCs drinks.

From him, the PCs learn:

1. The Thelidu, Drow and certain other races of the Outside were invited to the world thousands of years ago as a bargain with a group of people known as the N'zis to aid in a war they were losing.

2. The Thelidu were responsible for the creation of the Scared Moon and the Horns to harness and control Arcane energies that were not natural to this world.

3. Another of the groups of this world, The Usa 'arm, sabotaged the Thelidu equipment causing the Thelidu and Drow to be trapped between dimensions but also caused the destruction of the civilizations of the world.

Thelidu (1) (0E Monster Book Reloaded) – HD 5+3; AC 4[15]; Atk 2 claws (1d6), tentacles (1d4) weapon (Firam 1d6); MV 13; SV 11; CL/XP 8/800; SPC Mental Powers, Brain Extraction

Concluding the Adventure

If the PCs survive their encounter with Thy'is'ka'ro the ancient crypts will begin to collapse as the Thelidu devices explode with Thy'is'ka'ro's death. The PCs have mere minutes to escape the temple and take any of the children with them that may still be left in the crypts. Back in town the people in Icago are relieved, but the PCs find the town slowly emptying as the people who once lived there no longer feel safe and would rather take chances else where.

The remaining villagers are grateful and offer the PCs what they can (150 gp in various goods). The village, however, has maybe weeks left until it is another ghost town in many along the coasts of the sea.