The Emira's Necklace

I've been running some games of D&D recently. This is my writeup of the first session. Please let me know whether or not you'd be interested in hearing more. I could also post the actual dungeon.

The Emira of Yan was walking through her palace when a gigantic arm, with an equally gigantic hand at the end of it, reached from a doorway, snatched her favourite necklace, and disappeared. When she ran after it neither arm, hand nor necklace were anywhere to be seen.

The court sorcerer divined that the necklace was now located a short journey from Yan, somewhere in the thick forest that covers most of the world. Alas, the site in question is believed to be the location of a city of the Great Race, an extinct but still feared civilisation of ancient times. Her soldiers, in superstitious terror of the place, refused to venture forth.

The Emira thus posted a reward of 800 gold pieces for anyone who would return her necklace. The only three to answer her call were the warriors Zeph and Sarkozy (the latter a dwarf), and Marion, an elvish wizard.

The three set forth, only to be confronted by four bandits. Marion offered them a gold piece each to let them pass, which offer they accepted. However Zeph would not accept this insult to the party, and stealthily followed the villains, killing two. The survivors, named Log and Bog, bought their lives by handing over their ill-gotten gains: 78 gold pieces, plus the four recently taken. Zeph demanded that the two accompany them on their expedition, promising some reward should they do so. Log and Bog saw no option but to comply.

Our heroes found that there was no city, nor even a building, but only a single stone wall, with stairs leading down into darkness. Commanding Log and Bog to head the expedition as torch-bearers they followed the stairs down to a long tunnel, which they followed until they found a side-chamber wherein they surprised a group of evil cultists, in the process of sacrificing an aristocratic young man. Marion quickly sent most of the cultists into a magical slumber, but the apparent priest of the group ran out of the room, Zeph and Sarkozy's weapons merely scratching him.

Zeph was again unminded to let an enemy escape. He bounded up the stairs, reluctantly accompanied by the two bandits. The priest, seeing no prospect of outrunning the warrior, nor of peaceful surrender, raised the two-handed sword with which he had hoped to perform sacrifice. Zeph charged - but the cultist's blade found his flesh, and Zeph fell dead.

It seems that Log and Bog convinced the priest that they were no enemies of his. When Sarkozy and Marion investigated they found only Zeph's corpse.

The dwarf and the elf interrogated the victim of the cultists, one Borg. He turned out to be an aristocrat of the city of Yan, kidnapped by these cultists as he was out riding. Since all four cultists had left horses tied up in the forest clearing, Borg expected to find three horses left with which to pursue the priest. Pausing only for Borg to slay the sleeping cultists, the three headed to the surface.

To their surprise they found no horses - nor even any evidence that horses had ever been there, not so much as a hoofprint. Marion decided to risk drawing too deeply upon her magic: she cast Abelard's Insightful Eye, a spell which reveals all hidden things. The spell was cast, and revealed no tracks - but behold! Borg appeared to her eyes as a shrivelled and ancient mummy, not the young man he appeared to be, even to himself.

Most disturbed, our heroes again descended into the depths (Borg having pledged to help them on their quest, out of gratitude for his rescue). They arrived again at the chamber, finding the door closed, though none remembered doing so. They opened the door, and saw the same scene as before - an identical priest about to sacrifice an identical Borg, and identical cultists in attendance.

Sarkozy quickly challenged the priest, asking him why he was about to perform such a foul deed. The priest claimed innocence, in no way convincing our heroes. Sarkozy then spun a tale of a great army coming to kill them. The cultists urged our heroes to enter the room and close the door, which they did.

Marion's spell was still in effect. And the cultists, priest, and Borg's apparent double all appeared to her as ancient mummies, just as did Borg himself.

Thus the first chapter ends, with the cultists, or mummies, backed against the chamber walls in apparent terror of our heroes.