Chapter Four

The Undead in their (un)Natural Habitat

Day One

The party returns to Eeore and make final arrangements to enter the cemetery. They hire a wagon and driver (an associate of Eeore’s who sometimes collects corpses), load their gear, weapons and armor into the caskets and proceed to the center of the cemetery, virtually unnoticed. 

Above ground, it is built in a ring like an expanding city, the grave markers and mausoleums are arranged in their own neighborhoods: rich/poor, races and subraces, religious factions.  As in life, so in death. 

It is an active cemetery, with the living participating in their relationship with their deceased as appropriate to their culture. Ivy and flowers grow freely along the trails.  The concentric growth means that the newest and therefore most visited graves are on the outer rings, and the traffic and frequency of visits decrease as one gets closer to the center of the cemetery. 

In the center lies a very old and almost forgotten chapel. Its stone walls are well covered in moss and lichen, yet the timbers of the roof and the glass of the windows continue to protect the interior. Wooden benches allow for seating of an audience and a few steps lead to a raised dais for a speaker. There does not appear to be any unique religious icons, but rather many are represented.  The remnants of holy images abound, most are not recognizable—either they are forgotten or the images defaced. 

Stairs are clearly visible, leading beneath the chapel. Sculpted sarcophagus line the hall and demonstrate the living’s reverence or fear of death.  Little light seeps in from the chapel above, and much of the detail of the sculpture goes unrecognized without a torch or dark sight.

Like above ground, much of the arrangement of the sarcophagi resemble neighborhoods in their association. One can envision the tombs as houses on a street. Near the bottom of the stairs the graves, tombs, sepulchres and sarcophagi have been looted. The party opens a few and gather a very small collection of baubles, bangles and trinkets.  Not really worth the effort. A small pack of 5 Dire Rats (xp 500 total) roam the area and approach from 2 sides. They gang up on one player from each side then the next until 3 rats are killed and two are bloodied and run away.   

The bodies of the poor and unclaimed are buried in mass graves outside the cemetery. After centuries or a millennia, when the earth needs to be recycled, those bones are collected and interred here beyond the sarcophagi. The sheer number of bones is a testament to the age of the catacombs and the extent of the poverty in the city. It’s a maze and nearly impossible to navigate. The deeper into the maze, the colder and the weirder it gets. 

On occasion, between stacks, the bones are arranged in elaborate designs forming the framework of terrifying unholy abominations.  Beneath each of the sculptures is a small chest gilded in gold and semi precious stones. The chests are locked.

Day Two

The party inspects the OUTSIDE of the chests to see an easy to open latch but as no one makes a definitive decision to inspect the INSIDE of the chests, they continue to explore the oldest part of the catacombs.

Eventually they come to a fork, seemingly equal in their experience, although one heads in a more upward direction. 

The party chooses the upward path and it actually looks like the tunnel may take the party to the surface, as fresh air can be sensed. Here the catacombs continue straight, then opening in a large sepulcher.  Within a few feet of entering, the floor feels sticky. In the distance, the floor, walls and ceiling seem flocked in a dusty snow, but wiggling slightly.  As in a wave from every direction, the wiggling organizes and moves toward the party.  Within a few seconds the characters begin to see swarms of tiny spiders descending on the first person through the door.  The Bloodweb Spider Swarm.

Not knowing how to contend with such a foe, the party retreats to back to the fork. The spiders do not pursue, and the group relaxes for a bit.  Taking the other path, there is a different sense in the air.  Colder, perhaps even haunted. 

The stacks of bones quickly ends and the path is blocked by a large iron door ornately covered in gold filigree and cabochon semiprecious stones, not unlike the chests previously discovered. They cannot find a lock or keyhole to the door. There is one large faceted ruby in the center of the door.  If the party loots the door, they can remove almost everything without incident. When they pry the ruby, however, they find 4 key holes underneath. 

Due to the similarity, the party makes the connection of the relationship between the small chests and the door. They return to seek out the chests. 

The chests can be opened, even looted.  Within, they find a parchment which reads “The guardians arise,” a mass of coins and an iron key. On their way to the second chest the party hears the shambling clatter of bones against stone.  The party opens another chest and another. By the time the third is open, a Boneshard Skeleton appears—clearly what was meant by “The Guardians.” They party quickly dispatches the first skeleton, when they encounter two more which shamble in from two directions. They likewise destroy the next two guardians. The next chest being similar to the first three, but now contains a jeweled dagger instead of a key. The chest also calls a guardian which the party quickly destroy.  The last chest is like the first three, containing a key. Due to the slow attacks of the skeletons, the last guardian falls in a shattering of bones. Each chest holds 1000 gp in lootables.

The party takes their treasure to the iron door and test the keys.  They turn and the door opens with a gasp of air. 

Day Three

Pushing the door open reveals a sizable room (20x30) which appears to be a warehouse of riches. Collections and keepsakes from all over the world and across centuries. Opulent statuaries and lush fabrics. Jewelry boxes, and heaps of necklaces, rings and bracelets and baubles. Chests, coins, furs and rare books. It looks like the collection of ages of memorabilia. Items which were of obvious importance to the living. The wealth accumulated is vast. Another door is is on the opposite wall.

Perched a top a stacked pile of armor plate, sits a Berbalang. Upon seeing the group it slowly blinks its eyes and when it opens them, a second Berbalang appears.  

The battle ensues. The Berbalang replicates itself twice more and they fight furiously. Their dexterity and strategy allow them to encircle the party who then needs to adapt. The sheer time in battle wears the party down until finally Tnarg Lemonbutter falls from her wounds and only by sheer force of will continues to battle. 

Soon, however, the Berbalang de-replicates. The weakest of the replicants disappears and then the next, and then again, until only the original remains. It looks desperate and looks as though it wishes to flee, but it cannot. Ultimately the party succeeds and the creature gives up its final breath. 

The Berbalang knew that the iron door was designed to keep it in, but the foolish city dwellers didn’t know of the resourcefulness of such a creature. As it feeds on the memories of the deceased it is the greatest grave robber of this cemetery. The burial goods stolen “season” and enriches the memories devoured. It created another way out. For its safety, the Berbalang made its trap its lair. It had placed simple seals on the egress to hide it from the outside world. But it never imagined it would be attacked from the iron door’s direction, so it could not retreat and it fell victim to its own security. 

The seals are physical and easy to open but there are several. This door opens directly to the outside as well as outside the cemetery and outside of town.  The portal is so well camouflaged, however, that even with great outdoor skills and incredible perception, the entrance is hidden. The group agrees to have Oodfred fetch the cart and driver (because he has the longest stride? C’mon. Or maybe to watch how adorable he is when he walks?) and the remaining group guard the entrance. The time involved retrieving the cart is uneventful for all.

Once the party gets the treasure back to the town, it takes time but the merchants buy it up. From Lotherial’s superior negotiating skills the party gains 110,000 gp.  Also a good amount of the armor and best weapons were buried with gnome fighters and warriors.  This could be saved for supplying the army. 

The party celebrates, rests and regroups to prepare for another day.