Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Three River Crypt

Music: O'Donnel & Salvatori | Myth II: Soulblighter Soundtrack | Gonen's Bridge

(NEW) Optional Video Version: Download or YouTube Version

A deadly cyclone, a horrid skull-lock, and an illusionary wall; surely these things have been placed to hide something important. You search your way northward, wondering what treasures might be awaiting you.

You find yourself at the top of a steep stairs leading down into an ancient crypt. Four pillars of polished black stone support a domed ceiling above. Three identical large stone sarcophagi stand in triangular alcoves, each depicting a knight in repose; each has a powerful gauntlet clutching a sword across his chest. 

A great seal in the center of the crypt reads, "Here rests the only foe worthy the Wyrm Prince. He who names the honored dead may wield the blade again." 

The image upon the seal shows three swords; two are broken and worthless, but the third is true and sharp. Alas, they are but painted images, even though the swords look real enough to pick up and wield.

You know in your hearts that you stand in the tomb of the sole warrior who once vanquished the Wyrm Prince. Indeed, you stand upon reverent, holy ground...

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Sentry of Shields

Music: Atrium Carceri | Ptahil | Reincarnation Chamber

Guest Narrator: @DrDavyJones

Doomed crusaders... You enter a chamber awash with a searing light. A cyclone of flame slowly revolves in the center of the room. The heat peeling off the cyclone is intense, drenching you instantly with sweat!

Floating within the flames is a multitude of charred, blackened skeletons, tossed about slowly - gracefully even - as though through water. You also catch the flash of light on metal from something around one of the skeleton's necks, but what it is exactly is difficult to discern. 
 

Colors: northwest(green), southwest(white),
southeast(red), northeast(black)

Four pedestals fashioned as great dragon's claws surround the cyclone, atop which rests stone basins. Each of these basins gives off a different, faint glow - green, white, red, and black.

Six statues of dragonspawn brandishing shields are set into alcoves along the wall. They look quite lifelike, but are perfectly motionless.

Surely you have chosen incorrectly, and surely you will all soon be DEAD.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: OOC #1

Crusaders,

Feel free to post out-of-character stuff here. Strategize all you want! It's highly encouraged.

I will not use anything you state here against you.

(A little secret. I'm actually pulling FOR you. I want you to succeed. It's the adventure itself that is the killer!)

MilwaukeeJoe

Vault of the Wyrm Prince: Entering The Vault

Music: Atrium Carceri | Ptahil | A Place to Call Home

A ghoulish yellow moon peeks over the broken spires of Zhaldanis as you journey to the Wyrm Prince's lair. At the base of a shattered watchtower, a jagged wide hole in the flagstone leads down into a pentagonal chamber, 30 feet below. The only light comes the glowing moon above you, and your torches and sunrods. You ready your ropes, peer intensely for hidden dangers, and carefully descend.

Click for a larger version.

Dominating the center of the chamber is a large, ten-foot wide, rune-scribed pedestal. Upon it rests an obsidian sculpture of an perched, open-mouthed dragon.

Five thrones made from large ribcages and skulls surround and face the pedestal. Kneeling before each throne in supplication are sculpted snakefolk, arms raised, their fingertips nearly touching as if holding some unseen object.

At the center of each of the five walls is a closed iron door. Each is embossed with the image of a different creature... a hydra, a knight, a minotaur, a wraith, and a dragon.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Del-Kai the Melted (Genasi Wizard)

Del-Kai the Melted

"You want to know what I do, yes?" The small man in front of you takes a moment to push his face back into place where it had started to slide. "I endure where others falter. I survive where most would give up and die. I do not look it, yes?" The timid humanoid pushes up on his wired spectacles with a wheezing, gurgling laugh, small pieces of skin dripping off of his face.

"Let me tell you a story. I will try and be brief, yes? Once there was a small boy, a boy of immense power and intellect, but small in stature. The strong ones of the town feared what this boy might become should he continue on his path to unlock the mysteries of the universe. They called him a blasphemer for claiming his own power instead of the power of the gods." 

The man pauses to spit on the ground at the word - gods.

"Like they would with any blasphemer, they bound his hands and his feet and threw him into the sacred pit filled with an acid so foul that if you dipped in your sword you'd have nothing left but the hilt, yes? But the boy did not die. He was too clever, too powerful for such a mundane death. He took the acid into himself. He became the melted one, yes? And he returned to that town where the strong ones thought themselves so clever for dealing with the blasphemer, and the boy showed them what true power looked like. Now that village is gone, with nothing but a piece of blackened salted earth in its place."

The small man with a face like a melting candle leans forward. "I am Del-Kai the Melted. I survive, I endure, and I show the powerful their folly."

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Motir (Elf Avenger)

Motir

"You know when they talk about unstoppable force versus immovable object? I'm the former. Sure, some have stepped up against me and tried to claim to be the latter. Even come close every now and then. I'm humble enough to admit that."

"But the reason you're talking here is because you've heard of me and not them. Because they always move out of my way. Because falling is technically moving. I have my blade to thank for that. It's just as unstoppable as I am."

"My point is, no obstacle has stopped me before, and this is no different. We'll see how this target of yours stacks on the immovable scale."

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Vengeance (Tiefling Bard)

Vengeance

Vengeance smirks as he finishes playing his song and strides through the crowd of admirers to the table, pulling up a stool and sizing the others up. He cuts a striking picture, large horns sweeping back from his forehead, crimson skin studded with further small horns around his jawline, long black hair and an air of cockiness. He wears fashionable, well-cut clothing that seems a tad foppish and a wide-brimmed hat worn at a rakish angle shades his forehead.

"Well. I hear this is dangerous. And a bad idea. Oh, and that we're all going to die. Of course, I hear this from idiot peasants. Foolish rabble, afraid for their precious little souls. Well, they're safe for now. I'm the best Bard there is. Stop that blasted snickering. Do you even know what a Bard does, or do you think all we do is seduce women? No, we control the minds of our foes. We fill them with doubt and fear. 

We make them dance to our tune. We leave them so lost in their own minds that they leave themselves open to attack, even leave them so lost it's nothing to steal their life essence." He grins a grin that makes you think far too much of the devils his ancestors dealt with. "We also patch up your wounds when you find yourself injured. You lot need that, I think." He leans forward, his grin widening. "So, do we have a deal? We would seem to not have much time. Tick, tick."

To himself he thinks that yes, this lot will do. Useful tools for the time being. He might even keep a few of them alive to serve him after this was over. People were so very malleable. Save them and they'll throw themselves at you. Ruling at least this kingdom should be easy afterwards, and he'd easily be able to go from there. Quite easily.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Crx (Thri-Kreen Rogue)

Crx

Crx knows that belongs to him. The world. He's just having trouble collecting, as all. 

But he's getting there. It helps that he's faster than everyone else, that putting something into a pouch is never noticed. That he can always run away when he needs to. 

And that when he doesn't want to be seen, he disappears into the shadows.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Two-Rocks Falling (Goliath Druid)

Two-Rocks Falling

I am a Son of Stone.

Storms crash upon me, and break.

The Sun beats upon me, but warm my bones.

The Winter snows fall, a mantle upon my shoulders.

I am 'Two-Rocks Falling'

and my strength is that of the mountain.

Implacable, I descend

as does the avalanche.

Heavy are my fists.

Weighty is my judgement.

Unbreakable is my skin.

I am a Son of Stone.

Vault of the Wyrm Prince - Grelloc Hardain (Orc Hunter)

Grelloc Hardain

"What can I do?" The orc grunts, an awkward smirk twisting around his protruding tusks as he leans over the battered tavern table. "What you need?" 

His broken common is gruff and stony as he reaches back and pulls the gnarled, hand-hewed crossbow from his back, placing it on the table with a thunk. Metal plates reinforce the knotted wood and a twisted, coarse wire hangs between the re-curved yew lath. "I put five bolts thru a slavers eye at seven'y paces wit this."  

His smirk spreads into a wide grin, showing yellowed teeth behind his tusks. "He dead wit the first one, but I think he des'rved payback for the girls him took." He hefts his massive flagon of mead, drinking noisily and belching as he wiped his mouth with his arm. "Took he a ten-count to fall down, too."  
His mead gone and his amber eyes narrowing, he leans forward conspiratorially. "Now, what you need me do?"