The Lost Library of Q'Sh - 11

The Lost Library of Q'Sh - 11

10.3) The north door to this room is missing. Along the east wall is a disfigured mural. Once it showed a scene of a great hall with several people in blue robes gathered around some central object but over time everything except fragments along the lower 2ft of the wall have been destroyed. There are a number of barrels, boxes, broken weapons and rusty or moldy pieces of armor piled in a great heap against the wall.

This room has become the sleeping quarters for the orcs in Location (10.2) If not on patrol or dicing in that location they will be here sleeping or eating. Normally 3 to 6 orcs can be found in this room.

Among the debris can be found a rusty but serviceable shirt of chainmail, dwarf-sized and three battle-axes of dwarven make. 1 battle-axe is of exceptional quality, though notched in two places. It is a non-magical +1 weapon, but if a natural 1 is rolled the blade will crack and become useless as a weapon.

These orcs tend to keep their best possessions on them since they are so often away from this room, but a huge wooden chest in the south-east corner contains valuable bulky items that they all have a share in. It would take 4 orcs to move the thing.

Inside can be found:

a). A human head incased in a glass globe. The glass is impenetrable but a voice can be heard coming from inside. Close listening can detect it speaking softly in a language which has not been spoken in a thousand years. If it is set upon a silver base (which is also in the chest) shaped like a large hand the voice becomes louder. If listened to while the moon is in the sky the hand glows with a silver light and the words will become clear and in the language of the listener. The head is telling old sagas of a great war between two city states from the far distant past. Some of the names are familiar but only as place names such as Sidok's Gorge or the Bone Palace; the story itself is unfamiliar. The head tells only this very long tale which takes weeks to tell fully. When it has finished it begins the tale once more. It answers no questions and grants no powers or abilities but it does tell an excellent story.

b). A stone sword taken from a statue. The arm was removed at the shoulder but not broken. Instead there is a square projection at the point where the shoulder would fit into a body. The arm is 5ft long and weighs nearly 200lbs. The body of to this arm is on dungeon level 1.

c). Several pyramidal crystals. They are an orange -red color and have a strange feel to them as if composed of flesh rather than crystal. Each will glow with light upon command. They give off an orange glow and if the base is placed against any surface they will stick unless pulled are hit by a strong blow. They can light a 30ft radius and can be stuck anywhere, walls, ceilings, etc... Each is exactly 1ft at its height with a square 1ft base. They do not radiate magic and if damaged will bleed a light red blood. If badly damaged the light goes out and does not return. These lights are actually the larval forms of living creatures and can be found in some profusion on the lower levels of the dungeon.

d) A collection of dwarf made shields. All are badly damaged but they have a sentimental value to the orcs.

See Location (10.2) for the stats of any orcs found here.

10.4). This room serves as both kitchen and larder for the orcs. The door is closed but has no lock and opens with a simple latch. There is a broken area where some lock or handle was smashed away, but so long ago that the wood has worn smooth and looks as stained and scarred with use as the other surfaces.

Against the south wall is a blood-stained wooden table and an old iron stove is set against the secret door on the west wall. The door opens if the stove is tilted forward all the way to the ground. Anything in the stove would come tumbling out especially since the grate in front is missing. The orcs keep the fire going continually.

There is a rack of filthy blades above the table. Two huge butchers cleavers, a mallet and a handful of large knives The cleavers would be awkward weapons -1 to hit and 1d4 damage. The three knives can be used as regular knives, though they could use a sharpening.

Against the north wall are chained three dwarves, two are still living. The legless body of a third dwarf hangs from its wrists above a sticky spill of congealing blood. There are chains enough for 10 people to be bound to the north wall (the orcs are due to receive rations from a hunting party that left the west entrance the previous day and are running a little short on dwarves).

One of the dwarves has gone quite insane. He is red-faced and pulls continually at his chains. Blood drips from his wrists and if released he will attack anyone in front of him. He is a Ftr 1 8hp, AC10, Dmg 1d4+3 (due to maniacal strength). His companion in chains is Bordain a Ftr2, 16hp (currently 3hp) AC10 - If his companion Afar is killed by the characters he won't be happy about it but he won't hold it against the characters. He is from a dwarven mining community about 40 miles distant and was part of a group of prospectors searching for likely places to mine the area. He was completely unaware of the library or the orc infestation. They were ambushed while searching the area about 5 miles away and dragged here mostly unconscious and has only vague memories of orcs and old chambers where they were dumped before being dragged some more. If freed he will offer his services as a guard till he has paid of his debt to the characters (at least till when he feels he has) then he will set off for his own community to inform them of the fate of his companions and the blood debt they will need to collect from the orcs. If he leaves on good terms with the players they will find the orcs to be gruff but faithful allies.