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[Goonalan]

Dungeon Crawl Classic #3
The Mysterious Tower
Level 3-5

Turn 93: CLUUUUUUUUNK-CLICK.

The Gang trudge on and into a long 30-by-50 room lined with simple wooden coffins; all of them have been opened from the inside. There are ten in all, five along each wall. Aside from dust and mildew, there is nothing else here.

“I hope they don’t get up, we could be here for hours.” Newt remarks and stares in turn at Ala, Jim and finally Cas- he winks, then scurries off to search the chamber.

The others except for Jim and Cas fan out and help the Rogue.

Several minutes later they conclude that there’s nothing to be found.

“Right…” Cas starts.
“Let’s see what them coffin’s were guarding.” Jim finishes and heads off, back to the larger chamber with the statue of Meelkor and unanimated Skeletons in, then west down another passage.

The long hallway is lined with stone pillars, all of them carved into the shape of old, blind crones kneeling and supporting other crones on their backs.

“Weird.” Anya comments.

After a brief search they press on, the passage continues west, the Gang, lead by Jim, leaves the pillared hallway and passes through another arch, which again is carved with images of kneeling creatures. Into a small room with an alcove set into the middle of the western wall. In the alcove is a statue of an elderly blind man, stooped and crippled.

“Meelkor.” Cas states the voice of authority.

There are no obvious exits.

“There’s a door.” Newt states, the others look around, it’s not obvious where the door is.
“Where?” Ala asks.
“Behind the statue.” Newt remarks and then tuts loudly for good measure.
“Would you mind taking a look then Newt.” Jim asks, while Ala growls.
“You’re the boss.” Newt smirks at Cas then heads over, behind the statue of Meelkor.

“It’s not trap- CLICK. What was that?” Newt looks around.

WHOOOSH

The blade passes a good eight inches over his head.

Newt looks up, not sure what just happened, there’s a huge scythe embedded in the wall above him and to his right.

“Traps disarmed.” Newt calls back, and chuckles.

VWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Behind the Gnome the statue sinks into the ground.

The Gnome turns to watch.

Grins.

“That’s clever.”

THUNK

Newt leaps round; the noise came from behind him.

“Oh Pelor scared the crap out of me.”

Nothing’s changed, just an empty alcove ahead of him.

“He-he.” Newt giggles and places the palm of his hand over his thumping heart.

CLUUUUUUUUNK-CLICK.

The curved stone disappears into a recess beneath it, in an instant, darkness spills out from the now open secret door and Newt is suddenly face to face with a leathery-looking corpse-like creature. Its wild eyes burn with malevolence as it hisses, “Now I am the master!”

“Masta.” Bec whispers, he can’t resist it.

The Wight reaches out and rakes one clawed hand across Newt’s face.

The Gnome shrinks, stumbles backwards, the creature claws again but Newt is out of reach, and gibbering.

“The Master. The Master. The Master.” Over and over again, the Gnome thumps into a wall and squats down, looks away, presses his face as hard as he can into the cold stone wall- inside a darkness dwells, swells, and eats him alive.

Next Turn: Stop Wight Now.