The Almost Thief

For Session 10 of my Swords & Wizardry online game using Roll 20, I ran another of the Creation's Edge games adventures. This time I ran as written with no adjustments. Mainly, because one of the players did not show and the next adventure used his character as a hook. So I had this other adventure-ready as a back-up.

It is written as a short adventure designed to be handled in a single session. My players cut out early once they had the goal of the quest completed and were done the adventure in under 2 hours. So I can recommend this adventure for a single session or filler in a longer session.

Session 10: The Almost Thief

Players: Lakima (Magic-user), Eathwund (Fighter), Billy (Thief), Daen (Dwarf Fighter NPC).

The adventurers arrive with their cart full of dead kobolds before the East gate of Edgerton. The Watch Commander of the gate informs that they cannot bring a cart full of dead kobolds into the town. He listens to their arguments and agrees to sign a deposition stating to the contents as long as they get rid of the bodies before entering the town.

Once inside the town, Marta stops at the Church of St. Cuthbert telling them he will meet up with them later. The rest of the group head directly to the Inn of the Dancing Dragon and settle in for the night after a quick meal. The next day they spend some time to divide up the loot from the last few ventures. The gear that no one wants they plan to sell. They head over to Clearwin's Oddities and manage to sell one of the Continual Flame torches (the green one) they found in the last adventure. Billy tries stealing a grappling hook but is noticed and is forced to put it back. The next stop is the Merchant Adventurers Guildhall. They meet with the Guildmaster this time and receive the 3,000 gold reward for ending the Kobold threat.

Flush with gold the adventurers look for someplace to spend it. They settle on the most expensive Tavern in town. The Shining Sword. They manage to get past the dubious guard on the door. Inside Daen tells the waitress to give them one of everything. The food arrives and they demand ales for everyone at the table. The waitress comes back with the Tavern owner who politely asks for a deposit. They are getting looks from several rich merchants who are eating meals in the room. They put down the full cost of the meal and more and the attitude changes. Now they have two servers attentive to their every want. This goes on well into the afternoon. Eventually, they get bored and look for another place to drink.

Lakima suggests they try near the Southgate. Right at the gate, they find a promising Inn, The Bard’s Trousers. This Tavern is pretty lively and completely full. But for a silver coin, the waitress empties a table for them - chasing off some drunks. After a few rounds of ale, they are approached by a nervous young woman. She introduces herself as Rosa Raventhal, she has heard of their group (although she got the name wrong) and really needs their help.

Invited to sit she asks that they meet her outside - in a dark alley. They agree and follow her outside on alert. In the alley, she introduces them to her boyfriend Zane who is a ghost.

Zane cannot speak so Rosa explains that Zane wanted to get Rosa her grandmother’s silver ring back as a betrothal gift. Zane had been training to be a thief for more than a year without much success. Rosa feels that he must have tried to retrieve the ring anyway. The ring was taken from her grandmother unfairly by some trick, she does not go into detail. The ring was taken by Marian Evendal. When Marion died several years ago, it was buried with her in the Evendal Crypt. Rosa thinks that Zane will stop haunting her if they retrieve the ring. She offers them 100 gold she has saved. Lakima tells her that they do not need to be paid for such a simple task. She does tell them that there is bound to be a treasure in the crypt that they can take. After all, no one likes the Evendal’s anyway.

Rosa says goodbye and Zane’s ghost leads Lakima, Eathwund, Daen, and Billy to a graveyard near the Church of St. Aleena. The crypt of the Evendal family is the biggest in the graveyard. The chain locking the doors shut has been broken with a nearby rock. Inside they find stair leading to a pair of stone doors. The doors prove to be unlocked. In the chamber beyond, they find a grate covering a pit. Billy checks and tells them that the grate is a trap designed to swing open and drop people in the pit below. It is not well disguised. Looking down into the pit they see Zane’s bones. They are completely clean of any flesh which is strange if he just died a few days ago.

To the south, they find two bookshelves. At least fifty books are on the shelves. The first book they check has a name on the spine - Hunter Evendal. Several of the books are blank and have a name on the spine. They push open a pair of double doors headed east and enter a large hallway. Corridors head north and south and there is another pair of double doors at the far end. In the center of the chamber is the statue of a man on a pedestal. His hands are outstretched and holding a real book. They avoid the statue and head to the door. The door proves to be locked. Billy tries but is unable to unlock it. He does point out a keyhole in the eye of a skeleton bas-relief on the door.

The Heroes and the ghost examine the Guardian of the Crypt

Heading north they find four chambers blocked by Iron bars. Lakima casts Strength on Daen and tells the dwarf to lift the portcullis. Daen struggles and is unable to do it after a few tries. He is also unable to bend the bars. To the south, they find an identical room. Four more chambers behind bars. Behind the bars, in each chamber, they see an upright sarcophagus with a family name carved into the lid. The names are Alphonsina, Brookes, Caden, Deldodd, Erwin, Farant, Gigin, and Hunter.

They head back to the statue looking for clues. Eventually, Daen reaches up and removes the book. The pages in the book are blank and the spine says, “Guardian of the Crypt”. Eathwund has an idea and goes and gets the book from the earlier library that had Alphonsina on the spine. He places it in the statue’s hands. They immediately hear the portcullis opening to the chamber containing the sarcophagus with the name Alphonsina on the lid. Opening the sarcophagus they are attacked by a zombie holding a silver chalice. Daen and Eathwund quickly dispatch the zombie.

Understanding the trick of opening the sarcophagi, the heroes open them one at a time. In each sarcophagus, they encounter a zombie. Some have weapons or minor treasures. Each is dispatched efficiently. Finally, when opening the sarcophagus of Farant they fight a zombie with a silver key about its neck. They find that the key fits perfectly in the door lock and the doors swing open. Beyond is a chamber with two stairs leading down to the far side of the room. A bas-relief of a procession is carved into the walls. Hallways lead off to the south and north. Before the bas-relief is a marble pedestal with a silver ring upon it. Daen and Billy rush for the ring - Daen getting their first. A horrible smell emanates from a hole near the floor on the west wall. Two oozes come forth and move toward them. The smell from the oozes is that of rotting flesh. Lakima motions everyone to follow him quickly down the stair. The oozes slide down a ramp toward them and Lakima with everyone following - races around the chamber and up the other stair. The oozes slowly try to follow - but Billy closes and locks the door to the chamber behind them.

Then they quickly exit the crypt back out into the cold, evening air. No alarm has been raised and as far as they can tell no one sees them slip out of the cemetery. They follow the ghost to a small cottage. Rapping on the door, Rose answers, and they present her with the silver key. She thanks them and turns to Zane’s ghost. The ghost, smiles, turns to leave and fades from sight.