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WIR S1 Tomb of Horrors [SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!]
- Thread starter Stoat
- Start date
Hussar
Legend
I'm curious about the group that used the crown on the demi-lich. That I'd like to hear more details about. First off - how did they know how the crown worked? Secondly, why did they do in the skull in that fashion? How many PC's/NPC's did they lose first?
I mean, you'd pretty much have to lose someone to the crown to know that it dusts you. Then you'd have to lose someone to the demi-lich because, well, most groups are just going to pound on the demi-lich the first time it rises off the ground and get someone sucked into the gem.
I suppose we'll never know.
I mean, you'd pretty much have to lose someone to the crown to know that it dusts you. Then you'd have to lose someone to the demi-lich because, well, most groups are just going to pound on the demi-lich the first time it rises off the ground and get someone sucked into the gem.
I suppose we'll never know.
Orius
Legend
Gary also mentions that group in the intro to RttToH. That story must be fairly well-known enough because TVTropes lists it as a Crowning Moment of Awesome on the page for the Tomb
(Yup the old Tomb has its own page over there. I think the only other classic module that has a special page all to itself is the Temple of Elemental Evil).
(Yup the old Tomb has its own page over there. I think the only other classic module that has a special page all to itself is the Temple of Elemental Evil).
MarkB
Legend
Divination magic could tell you that Bad Things happen when you reverse the polarity on the crown, as could experimenting with minions.
And once you reach Acererak's chamber, it's not unreasonable to assume that the only animate thing in the room is probably hideously dangerous.
A
amerigoV
Guest
I bet the exchange went something like this:
Player 1 (wearing the crown): I touch the silver end to the Crown.
DM: "Pfft - your dead. No save."
Player 1: "Crap, that sucks! I hate this module!'
Player 2: "Awesome! I'm grabbing the Crown and Scepter. A 'no save' killing magic item! And I loot Player 1's PC".
Hussar
Legend
I'm thinking this is how it probably went.
Freakohollik
First Post
I don't think any version explicitly states how long it's been there, but the 2e Return to the Tomb of Horrors adventure has Acererak's soul harvester almost full, so it's gotten a lot of adventurers by that point.
Area 26. Small Room With a Door of Electric Blue
There are two 10 foot square rooms built onto the north wall of the Pillared Throne Room. Each has a door that shimmers with blue light. Each door glows even brighter when touched. Both doors open easily.
The small room to the west is empty. It contains only dust.
The small room to the east was a place where mummies are made. A wooden sarcophagus rests atop a stone table. Various chests, urns and coffers are scattered here and there. The sarcophagus contains a mummified human corpse partially wrapped in bandages. You can just barely see a huge amethyst under the wrappings that cover the corpse's head.
The gem has evil magic on it (although the module doesn't say if it detects as evil or not). If anybody takes it, the mummy springs to life and attacks! It's hasted, and it wears a Ring of Fire Resistance.
IMO: There isn't much to say about this room. It's an ambush combat encounter. It probably won't TPK the party. The exploding altar way back in Area 14 glowed with blue light, so maybe that's a clue. Avoid glowing blue things.
It's interesting how many rooms in the Tomb are devoted to mummies and mummy preparation. Area 18, Area 19, and now Area 26. I wonder why?
There are two 10 foot square rooms built onto the north wall of the Pillared Throne Room. Each has a door that shimmers with blue light. Each door glows even brighter when touched. Both doors open easily.
The small room to the west is empty. It contains only dust.
The small room to the east was a place where mummies are made. A wooden sarcophagus rests atop a stone table. Various chests, urns and coffers are scattered here and there. The sarcophagus contains a mummified human corpse partially wrapped in bandages. You can just barely see a huge amethyst under the wrappings that cover the corpse's head.
The gem has evil magic on it (although the module doesn't say if it detects as evil or not). If anybody takes it, the mummy springs to life and attacks! It's hasted, and it wears a Ring of Fire Resistance.
IMO: There isn't much to say about this room. It's an ambush combat encounter. It probably won't TPK the party. The exploding altar way back in Area 14 glowed with blue light, so maybe that's a clue. Avoid glowing blue things.
It's interesting how many rooms in the Tomb are devoted to mummies and mummy preparation. Area 18, Area 19, and now Area 26. I wonder why?
MarkB
Legend
Am I recalling accurately in thinking that liches were reasonably well-established by the time this adventure came out, but this was the first introduction of the concept of demi-liches?
If so, this could all be part of the same attempt at misdirection, to ensure that the party are thinking of Acererak as some form of embalmed, preserved undead corpse, so they'll never suspect that bejewelled skull until it's too late.
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