The False Altar

Area 1-2 – The False Altar

The mound of stones resembles an altar, but is actually an effort by the surviving acolytes to seal the entrance to the passages beneath the chapel. Careful investigators will note a draft of cool air whistling from within the stones.

The relics have sat untouched for years; the dagger is marred with dried blood, the wooden chalice is cracked and dusty, and the blackened clay pot is collecting moldering leaves.

The serpentine dagger inflicts 1d4+1 damage but carries a foul taint from the hundreds of lives sacrificed in the name of the Abbot; every time its wielder misses an attack, the blade’s fumble range increases by 1. (If a character wielding the blade misses three times in a row, he would fumble on his next attack roll of 1 through 4.) On any fumble, the character also inflicts maximum damage upon himself.

The clay pot contains the black, fatty grease used to anoint the heads of the skull rattles. It causes any skin to shrink and harden like leather. Applied to a living creature, the grease permanently stains the skin charcoal black and grants the character a +1 bonus to AC. There is sufficient grease to anoint two human-sized creatures.

The well is guarded by a pair of ghosts: acolytes who refused to abide the Abbot’s madness. The invisible spirits fight to prevent the PCs entering the well, animating the serpentine dagger along with any other weapons or objects not wielded or restrained by the PCs – a quarrel of bolts, for instance, provides a ready supply of weapons. Each ghost can animate up to 4 weapons at a time, attacking targets up to 10’ away; the ghosts will not pursue the PCs out of the altar room.

The ghosts can be turned, as per normal, or appeased by cautious PCs who aren’t too quick to resort to violence. If the characters attempt to parlay, the ghosts materialize in the forms of a translucent priest and nun. The pair pleads with the PCs to not free the Abbot. If the PCs can convince the ghosts of their intentions (left up to the judge’s discernment), the ghosts offer one bit of wisdom – the Abbot has sought immortality at the price of his own flesh, and so his flesh must be turned against him – before fading from sight.

If the PCs succeed in treating with the ghosts, the spirits return at the conclusion of the adventure to aid the party.

The Priest and Nun (2 ghosts): Init +2; Atk animate object +2 (dmg by weapon type); AC 10; HD 2d12; hp 12, 14; MV fly 40’; Act 4d20; SP un-dead traits, immune to non-magical weapons, invisible at will, animate object; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6; AL N.