5.3. To Clear the Crypts of Stonesboro

Rasson recommended the party to Tomon, who was looking for a group of adventurers to investigate the rumors that something was living in the burial crypts near Stonesboro. The crypts turned out to be inhabited by various ruffians, sub-humans, and undead, most of which were in the service of a necromancer, though the party only figured this out later, near the end of the adventure.

Bytor was killed early on. Barlow Smythe was killed while bravely and selflessly holding off some of the monsters in an early retreat, and was replaced by his friend Kalo Bibkins, a choice that had a dark and significant impact on the party's future.

During the clearing of the caves, the party met the Ghost of Harmon, who asked that one among them take up his sword and clear the crypts of Undead; Basgoot accepted, and was Geased to kill all the undead in the crypts and their maker. The sword, a magic bastard sword, was named Narung. Later the party met a madman in the crypts, who offered them a drink from his wineskin. Basgoot again accepted, and was drunk for days.

Finally the party killed the necromancer after an epic battle with all of his remaining undead servants, among whom, alas, Bytor was now numbered. Afterwards they freed a group of Dwarves who had been captured by the necromancer and were being forced to build tunnels for him.

At some time before, during, or after this adventure, the party was summoned to a warehouse where a menacing figure warned them that they had crossed him once, and must never again do so. The crates in the warehouse were marked with the sign of Suliman Trade.[12]

Magic.  During this adventure the party picked up five books and one box of mysterious powder from the from the necromancer's library, one wand of Fire and Brimstone, and a small pouch of red balls that expanded and then exploded. The pouch has been emptied and the books sold.

Note

This adventure was gamed sometime in 1985.



[12] Is this an emblem, sigil, or icon? Or merely a name inscribed on a box? (I think this was a symbol burnt into a crate, and the party had to research it.)