Chapter 3 - The Guardian of Tombs
The party made their way into the small, hidden chamber behind the statue of Jergal. As they did, they decided to light the candles on the candelabras and the torches within. There was a single sarcophagus with candles at the base of it as if someone would light those candles in honor of the one buried within. Shelves held pottery and other items that the party figured they could steal and sell for at least a few coins, and there were vases and such on the floor as well that they took.
Besides these things, there was a heavy chest that was locked. Astarion immediately set to work to pick it. He rolled a 19+7=26 and succeeded. The lock clicked, and the chest opened. Within, he found an expensive looking amulet. He held it up for everyone to see. Everyone rolled Arcana rolls but failed to identify it. "I can always use the Identify spell later," said Gale. "Let's see what's in the sarcophagus first."
Astarion shrugged and shut the chest. Then Gale stooped down to read the text on the sarcophagus. This was in the Common language, along with several others, so he could read it easily enough. "Here lies the Guardian of Tombs," he said. "Through knowledge comes atonement." He then stood up and took a few steps away. "Well. Shall we?" He gestured to the lid.
Kaedyn took the initiative and stepped up to it. He then shoved on the lid several times until he managed to throw the entire lid onto the floor behind the sarcophagus. As he peered down inside, he saw a mummified figure, though it was mostly bones. It wore a tunic with leather shoulder pads and some sort of golden cap on its head. The cap was like golden vines criss-crossing and intertwining; all connecting to a single ring that encircled his forehead. Another ring circled under each eye, and they connected across the bridge of its nose to the center ring. From each eye-ring, another band framed the mummified cheekbones. Another band of metal rested under the jawline and came up across the center of the chin, forming a "T". Bandages were wrapped around its bones as if providing it with a skin, but it had no flesh underneath. Only its head had preserved flesh on it, though it had no nose. It had eyelids that were closed as well as lips.
Then, to Kaedyn's horror, the eyelids opened without warning. Eyeballs, living eyeballs, looked right at him, meeting his terrified stare. Kaedyn backed away, a feeling of total dread gripping his stomach forcefully and twisting it like a pretzel. Everyone raised their weapons, prepared to fight as the Guardian of Tombs slowly rose out of its stone box. Not a single member of the party could bring themselves to attack. The chill that filled the air, even though it was bathed in the warm light of the candles and torches, froze them in place.
The Guardian of Tombs set both of its bony feet upon the floor and stood facing them. It looked tired and bleary-eyed. As it looked about the room at each of them, it spoke in a male voice that was almost like two people speaking together; one voice low and the other even lower, in dissonance, "So he has spoken, and so thou standest before me. Right as always. What a curious way to awaken."
He then paused as he looked around him as if taking in the chamber for the first time in ages. "Now, I have a question for thee." He looked at Kaedyn when he said this. "What is the worth of a single mortal's life?"
Kaedyn looked around at the others as if searching their faces for the answer. No one said anything. They were all too focused on the apparition before them. He looked back at the Guardian of Tombs and replied, "'So he has spoken? What 'he' are you talking about?"
"An arbiter of certain matters, but that is not important now," he replied.
"Well, that is quite the question. What's the reason for it?" Kaedyn then asked.
"Curiosity. Nothing more," said the Guardian of Tombs. "Wilt thou answer my question?"
Kaedyn considered it carefully. "Yes," he said confidently, though he was feeling anything but. "Ask away." He had already forgotten the question due to his nerves being on edge. He could feel the pressure. Everyone in the group, for some reason, was leaving him to handle this alone.
"So I ask again. What is the worth of a single mortal's life?" asked the Guardian of Tombs.
Kaedyn considered the question even more carefully this time. It seemed like a simple question, but as he pondered it, he found himself unsure of every response that came to mind. Finally, he settled on, "That depends on the person's deeds." Again, he responded with confidence, though he did not feel it.
The Guardian of Tombs hesitated before answering. The silence was deafening, and each moment the talkative skeleton took gnawed on the party's nerves. Each was thinking the same thing. Had Kaedyn answered correctly? Would they all escape without a fight? Or would the Guardian of Tombs attack them because he answered incorrectly?
Then, he spoke. "I am sure thou believest as such. Very well. I am satisfied. We have met, and I know thy face. We will see each other again at the proper time and place. Farewell." Then, much to everyone's relief, the Guardian of Tombs turned and left the chamber. He began to wander around the Dank Crypt, muttering to himself about how things had changed throughout the centuries, and so forth.
Everyone in the party breathed a sigh of relief. Kaedyn's relationship with everyone went up by 2. He had impressed the entire team by taking the leadership position during that truly frightening encounter. "Well done," said Ryth-Shan with a pat on Kaedyn's shoulder.
"Agreed," said Vexir, nodding in approval. She then hurried to the door to stand watch. She observed the Guardian of Tombs as he made his way about. He showed no signs that he even knew they were there anymore.
"Sooooo... Do we loot the sarcophagus?" asked Astarion.
"Do we dare?" asked Gale. "He's right out there."
Astarion peaked inside. There was a glittering necklace, a gemstone, and a book. "If we snatch it and hurry out of here, maybe he won't even notice until we're long gone."
"He didn't seem to care about the other items we took," said Shadowheart. "He didn't even notice."
Ryth-Shan shrugged. "The book could contain more clues," he said, thinking out loud.
"True," said Kaedyn.
"Just grab the stuff, and let's get out of here," said Vexir. Though the undead made no hostile move in any way, she was unnerved by it. She just wanted to be done with the stupid place as quickly as possible.
Astarion needed no one else's opinion. He grabbed the items and stuffed them into the magic pocket. "Done," he said. "Now let's get out of here."
The party wasted no more time. They made their way together out of the Guardian's "bedroom." They passed through the chamber with weapons ready, watching the creature intently until they were completely out into the lighted tunnel that led to the lever with the ladder that would drop down. Once the Guardian of Tombs was out of sight, they jogged the rest of the way to the end of the path, pulled the lever, the ladder dropped, and scrambled up and out. There was a metal hatch that only unlocked when the lever was pulled. And so, they were able to simply throw it open and climb out onto the ridge above.
The sun's rays welcomed them, and immediately the peaceful sounds of the river washed away the crypt's atmosphere from their souls. When the last person ascended, they slammed the hatch shut. It virtually disappeared beneath the bushes that had grown over it. They didn't say a word but instead ran along the ridge until they returned to the upper level of the dungeon.
