Part One: The Tomb

Part One:  The Dead Walk

         It was cold.  They lay one something hard.  Something soft covered their faces.  They could not move.  They were at the mercy of whoever had taken them.  

         After what seemed like an eternity, a hand twitched. Then two, then three, then four. The first to move was the tall broad shouldered man in the silvery mask. He rose from the stone beir he lay upon. He was dressed in simple white robes, like burial robes.

         The next to rise was the Elven woman. She was also dressed in the same simple white robes. Her skin shone in the flickering greenish light that emanated from the torches around the walls. It was the color of pale gold, a stark contrast to her raven tresses.

         Next arose the pale skinned woman with the flaming red hair. She stood head and shoulders beneath the huge man in the silvery mask.

         Finally, the dark haired man arose. Unlike the others, he seemed to have suffered from his ordeal. He was dazed, and his reddish eyes were slightly clouded. As he stumbled off the bier, the flaming haired woman caught him.

         They all wore the same white robes, the same robes as the other bodies within the huge stone chamber. The other bodies, however, were desicated, as if they had been dead for many years. Along the walls were racks of weapons and armor. Piles of things lay nearby.

         Almost at the same time, the flaming haired woman and the masked man spoke. "Is everyone all right?" The woman's voice was sharp and commanding, while the man's was like nothing so much as two stones grating together.

         No more of the sheet covered bodies rose. The masked man examined one, and found a dried corpse. He seemed more surprised than revolted. The four checked for wounds, and found themselves in good health, except for being trapped in a stone tomb.

         At last, the elven woman said, "I wonder what treachery has befallen us. I do not believe that I have any enemies or know of why someone would want me dead." As she said this, the masked man and flame haired woman examined the remaining bodies, and found perhaps a dozen corpses, all long dead. There was no smell of decay here, though, just the weak scent of dry stone. A look at the walls revealed stone sconces all bearing flickering torches, burning with an unearthly green light. There was a single staircase ascending along the far wall to a single door, apparently the only exit. The stairs, sconces, and biers all seemed to be part of the floors and walls, made of the same stone, and bonded without a seam. It was as if someone had carved or moulded them out of the stone of the chamber.

         The four examined the items on the racks and piled about the floor, and found the gear they had before they came to be here. They all found places of relative privacy and rearmed themselves. The dark haired man stuggled with the straps of his armor, but eventually managed to get everything in place.

         Seeing that they were in much the same predicament, the group introduced themselves to each other. The flame haired woman, now wearing a gleaming shirt of chain links, and bearing a large sun-headed mace introduced herself as Dawn, priestess of The Eternal Lantern. The masked man, who looked little different now than before, save that his robes were a pale brown, called himself Brother Obadiah. The Elvish woman, now in a hard leather breastplate, and carrying a set of fine pan pipes introduced herself as Xanaphia. She also bore a sword at her slender waist and a leather whip. The other man remained silent, seeming dazed.

         After the introductions were over, Obadiah commented, "I, for one, cannot have been here for long. My provisions are still fresh."

         Xanaphia added, "Whoever brought us here did not exact any price from me. In fact, I have fifteen more gold coins than I did before. They appear to be Brandobian Sovereigns."

         Dawn asked the other three, "Do any of you know how we got here? I remember I was on my way to my first assignment at a church of The Eternal Lantern, and I was waylaid. I was badly wounded, and then awoke here."

         Xanaphia responed first. "I was traveling though the woods of my homeland, and came across a campfire. There were several men around it, and they seemed friendly enough. Then one of them grabbed me from behind, and their leader, an Elf, ran me through. I don't how I survived to awaken here."

         Brother Obadiah added, "My story is much the same. I went into a town with my master to purchase supplies. I was accosted by six ruffians, and after I fell, I too awoke here. I suspect our other friend has suffered a similar experience. For now, I think we need worry more about how to leave this place than how we got here."

         Xanaphia climbed the stairs while Obadiah examined the walls. Dawn looked around a bit, and decided to climb after Xanaphia. At the top was a door with no handle, flanked by two more of the strange green torches. Dawn thought the fires looked like those created by a spell of eternal flame. It was more powerful a magic than she could currently work.

          Xanaphia removed one of the torches, noting that the sconces here were made of metal. and examined the door more closely. It was intricately carved. It bore a figure of a knight, arms outstreched, and head raised to the heavens. The knight was encased in heavy plated armor covered in sun-like symbols. He wore a sheathed sword on his left side. His gauntlets appeared to be embossed with flames, and above his raised head, the clouds, which covered the rest of the sky, were open, with the sun visible.

         While Xanaphia studied the carving, Dawn checked the sconces, and discovered that with some effort, they could both be moved. When she released them, they loudly returned back to their original configuration.

         Brother Obadiah called up to them. "Why do you imagine that a tomb would be designed with secret exits for the inhabitants? I suspect we will eithe have to force the doors open again, or atract some attention from those who serve outside the tomb.

         Apparently ignoring Obadiah, Dawn and Xanaphia set to work on the sconces. After a few failed attempts to coordinate their turnings, the two were able to move the sconces together. Once they both pointed such that torches within them would point away from the door, a loud click was heard, and the door began to swing open.