Shadowfinder – 07/02/2025 – Gongaii – Crypt of the Everflame, Pt. 1

Summary

You followed the trail of abducted villagers to the Tomb of Kassan, also known as the Crypt of the Everflame. Outside, you found a grisly scene of slaughtered horses and a recently abandoned campsite, where you recovered some supplies. Venturing inside the tomb’s entrance, you were immediately met with the remains of a gruesome battle and a chilling, distant wail. The bones of the fallen stirred to life, but Old Ricketts’s divine power sent the reanimated skeletons fleeing into the darkness.

Pushing deeper, you navigated a treacherous room filled with pillars and hidden pit traps, one of which Merida fell into before being rescued. Your combined ingenuity solved a puzzle involving three levers, opening a door to the south. You encountered a paranoid, cowardly cultist of Shune barricaded in a closet. After promising him safe passage, you let him go, only to later find his corpse slashed to ribbons near the tomb’s entrance. In another chamber, you discovered a magical darkness you could not penetrate, smelling of smoke and burning meat.

Your path led you to a chamber guarded by a large wooden statue. When you approached, it animated, swinging massive shields labeled “Home” and “Family”. Through clever use of an oil flask and a lit torch, you set the construct ablaze, though not before it grievously wounded Ricketts and Bodhi. After its destruction, you found a hidden room containing a chest. Inside was a small key, a strange blue potion, a scroll made of skin, and a femur wand inscribed with the word “Gagnez” The key opened the final door in the central chamber, revealing the way forward.

This new path led to a room filled with arrow-launching pillars. The trap was sprung, unleashing a devastating volley. In the ensuing chaos, two of your companions were tragically slain by the endless barrage of bolts. After a grim retreat to rest and mourn your losses, you were joined by two new adventurers, Kannon and Axel. Bolstered by your new allies, you returned to the tomb, bypassed the now-spent trap, and faced a trio of bloody skeletons. Another blast of divine power sent them fleeing down a staircase, opening the way to the tomb’s lower level, where an inscription promised a place of rest and reflection ahead.

OUTLINE:

Arrival at the Tomb’s Threshold

• The party arrived at the Tomb of Kassan, seeking villagers abducted by cultists.
• They discovered five slaughtered animals and an abandoned campsite with five tents near the entrance.
• Gear was salvaged from the camp, including rations, flasks of oil, and surprisingly comfy pillows.

The Upper Chambers: Puzzles and Traps

• The party entered the tomb, fighting and turning a group of reanimated skeletons in the first chamber.
• They navigated a room with hidden pit traps; Merida fell into one but was quickly rescued.
• A puzzle involving three hidden levers, which had to be pulled simultaneously, was solved to open a stone door.

Encounters in the Crypt

• A cowardly cultist of Shun was found hiding; the party promised him safe passage and let him go, only to find him dead later.
• The party fought and killed a giant Fire Beetle to acquire its valuable glowing thorax gland.
• A large wooden golem with two shields attacked the party and was defeated by being doused in oil and set on fire.

The Price of Progress

• A chest was found containing a small key, a bone wand, a skin scroll of Restoration, and an unknown blue potion.
• The key opened a new section, leading to a room with a pillar that fired a massive volley of arrows.
• The trap was triggered, and two party members were killed in the relentless barrage.

Reinforcements and Descent

• The survivors rested and were joined by two new adventurers, Kanan and Axel.
• Returning to the tomb, they confronted three bloody skeletons, which were turned and fled down a staircase.
• The party discovered an inscription at the bottom of the stairs, pointing the way to a safe area to rest, ending the session.

NPCs:

• Bloody Skeletons: More gruesome versions of skeletons, dripping with an endless supply of blood, found deeper within the tomb.
• Cowardly Cultist: A terrified cultist of the vile god Shun, found hiding in a closet. He was let go by the party but was killed shortly after.
• Fire Beetle: A large beetle with a glowing thorax gland, found in the rubble of a collapsed stairwell.
• Skeletons: Reanimated bones that attacked the party in various chambers of the tomb.
• Wooden Shield Golem: A large, animated wooden statue that attacked with two massive shields inscribed with “Home” and “Family”. It was vulnerable to fire.

LOCATIONS:

• Abandoned Camp: A campsite with five tents found near the tomb’s entrance, containing leftover supplies from a previous party.
• Arrow Trap Room: A deadly room with a central pillar that spun and fired hundreds of arrows, killing two party members.
• Chamber of Pillars: A large room filled with pillars and hidden 10-foot deep pit traps, which Merida fell into.
• Golem’s Chamber: A room with a lowered floor and stairs that turned into ramps. It was guarded by the Wooden Shield Golem.
• Tomb of Kassan: The ancient crypt of a hero named Kassan, now occupied by cultists. Also known as the Crypt of the Everflame.

ITEMS:

• Bone Wand: A wand made from a femur tipped with a sapphire, inscribed with the strange word “goontak”.
• Ceremonial Dagger: An ornate, wicked-looking dagger taken from the dead cultist, bearing the unholy symbol of Shun.
• Fire Beetle Gland: A gland from a Fire Beetle that glows like a torch for one hour when shaken.
• Mysterious Blue Potion: A mysterious blue potion that is shiny and filled with glitter. Its properties are unknown.
• Skin Scroll of Restoration: A clerical scroll of Restoration written on a piece of what appears to be humanoid skin.
• Small Key: A small key found in a chest that unlocked the door to the deadly arrow trap room.
• Wooden Tower Shields: Two oversized wooden shields recovered from the defeated golem, inscribed with the words “Home” and “Family”.