Shadowfinder – 07/04/2025 – Gongaii – Crypt of the Everflame, Pt. 1

Summary

You arrived at the Tomb of Kassan, the resting place of a famed war hero, in pursuit of cultists who had kidnapped six villagers. Just inside the entrance, you discovered the grim fate of two of the captives, their bodies discarded amidst a chamber filled with skeletal remains. Your investigation was cut short when the bones rose to fight. The battle was a brutal, drawn-out affair that tested your limits; Bodhi was cut down, Jonathan’s holy power failed him spectacularly, and Thomas was grievously wounded. Every swing was a struggle, and more than once a companion fell, only to be narrowly saved from death’s door.

After the harrowing victory, you retreated from the tomb to rest and tend to your wounds before venturing back into the darkness. Your exploration led you to a chamber with a mysterious pool of water, where Thomas discovered a massive collection of nearly a hundred keys. These proved useful when you encountered a pair of locked doors. Pushing onward, you navigated a hallway filled with deadly swinging sword traps, which Thomas luckily triggered and disabled by stumbling through them. Your luck seemed to run out in the next chamber, where a massive wooden statue guardian came to life, sliding Thomas down a ramp and knocking him unconscious before you managed to pull him to safety.

Deciding to bypass the guardian, you found another hallway that led to a room with a spinning pillar that unleashed a barrage of arrows, downing Des before Thomas could slam the door shut. After the trap exhausted its ammunition, you pushed forward into a hall of mourners, only to be ambushed by two bloody skeletons. This fight was another desperate struggle, ending with the priest and the thief both being resurrected from the brink of death. You discovered these skeletons would not stay down until you set their bones aflame. With the last threat vanquished, you descended a final staircase, finding an inscription that hinted at three paths forward, a place of rest and two trials, before you.

OUTLINE:

Arrival and the First Encounter

The party arrived at the Tomb of Kassan, also known as the Crypt of the Everflame.
They discovered two dead villagers and several slaughtered animals at the entrance.
Inside the first chamber, they were ambushed by three skeletons that animated from the bone-strewn floor.
The fight was extremely difficult; Bodhi, Jonathan, and Thomas were all knocked unconscious at various points but were ultimately stabilized or healed.
After defeating the skeletons, the party decided to retreat outside to rest for the day.

The Fountain Room and the Keys

The party re-entered the tomb and explored a new room containing a large pool fed by a statue of a weeping maiden.
A mysterious voice declared, ‘Magic is the key.’
Thomas Magnum dove into the pool and discovered nearly 100 assorted keys at the bottom.
The party used the keys and lockpicking skills to open two doors leading to different wings of the tomb.

A Gauntlet of Traps

Thomas Magnum explored a long hall and accidentally triggered a series of eight swinging sword traps, narrowly avoiding them and disarming the mechanism.
He then entered a chamber with a large wooden statue, which animated after he slid down a ramp-trap, knocking him unconscious.
The party pulled Thomas to safety and decided to retreat from the powerful guardian.
In another corridor, Thomas opened a door to a room with a spinning pillar that immediately fired a volley of arrows, wounding him and downing Des before the door was shut.
They waited for the trap to run out of ammunition before proceeding.

The Bloody Skeletons

The party ventured into a hall decorated with carvings of mourners.
They were ambushed by two skeletons dripping with fresh blood.
Another grueling battle ensued, during which the priest, Jonathan Higgins, was knocked out multiple times.
After defeating the skeletons, the party noticed the bones beginning to reassemble.
They quickly gathered the remains, doused them in oil, and burned them to prevent their return.

The Crossroads

With the immediate threats neutralized, the party descended a staircase into a circular chamber.
They found an inscription on the floor outlining three paths.
To the south: a place of rest. To the east: a wheel to open a gate. To the west: a testing place.
The session ended as the party contemplated their next move.

NPCs:

Kassan the Everflame: A great war hero from the past, after whom the village of Kassin and the tomb are named. He was referred to as ‘The Everflame, a light in the darkness.’
Rat Bastard: A pack donkey given to the party by the villagers of Kassin to aid their journey.

LOCATIONS:

Arrow Pillar Room: A domed chamber with a central pillar surrounded by a pit. The pillar spins and fires dozens of arrows when the room is entered.
Entrance Hall: The first room of the tomb, littered with the bones of ancient warriors and the fresh corpses of two villagers. The site of the first skeleton battle.
Fountain Room: A chamber containing a large, deep pool of clear water fed by a fountain of a weeping maiden. A disembodied voice spoke here.
Tomb of Kassan (Crypt of the Everflame): An ancient tomb set into a hill, marked by a stone archway with a flame symbol. It serves as the main dungeon for the adventure.
Village of Kassin: A small village located two days south of the Serpent Hills. It was recently raided by cultists.
Wooden Guardian Chamber: A room with a lowered floor where a 15-foot wooden statue with two massive shields guards the area. The stairs leading down can turn into a slide.

ITEMS:

Flask of Oil: A simple flask of flammable oil, used to power a lantern and, more critically, to burn the bloody skeletons to ensure their destruction.
Hundred Keys: A large, jangling collection of nearly 100 assorted keys found at the bottom of a pool in the tomb. Used to open one of the locked doors.
Troll Bile Potion: A red, ichorous potion made from troll parts. Automatically stabilizes a dying creature. Two were found.
Witch’s Brew Potion: A foul-tasting potion that grants temporary regeneration (1d4 HP for 1 round). The effect is nullified by fire or acid damage. Two were found.