Poor Knight’s Tomb

An OSR Mini-Adventure for Character Levels 1 to 3

By Simon Forster (www.theskyfullofdust.co.uk)

Map by Dyson Logos

Down in the gully lies a row of tombs, each home to a poor knight who perished fighting the pagans
that opposed the Prophet. A low cave enters into a plain corridor, stairs leading down to a simple
tomb with a stone slab, on which the remains of the knights lay. Four pillars, each depicting one of
the saints, watch over the deceased and support the chamber’s ceiling.

None of these tombs hold anything of value; even the bones of the knights have long turned to dust.

All except one: this tomb seems as unremarkable as the rest, but a secret trapdoor beneath the
stone slab leads to a series of secret tombs, the real resting place of the Prophet’s knights.

Map Details
1. The entrance to this tomb appears the same as the others, with plain blocks of stone
forming a low-ceilinged, narrow corridor (5’ wide, 6’ tall) and stairs leading down to the
tomb itself.

2. The tomb holds a simple slab of stone in the centre of the chamber, on which are the
remains of a skeleton, which crumbles at the touch and disintegrates. Four pillars, each
carved with the likeness of four saints (St Gird, St Aldwyn, St Porthus, and St Alice), hold the
undecorated ceiling aloft and watch over the slab.

The secret trapdoor is hidden beneath the slab, and is simply a hole in the floor, reaching ten
feet down to the corridor below. There are two ways to access it: by brute strength, pushing
the slab aside (requires a combined Strength score of 35, or maybe an Open Doors check at -
1 unless more than one person is involved); or by making an offering to each of the four
saints (a prayer from a devotee before each, a Bless spell, or a sprinkle of holy water), in
which case the slab effortlessly moves aside and remains so until the dawn, at which point it
slides back into place (possibly trapping those inside; from below a combined Strength of 45
is needed to shift it).

3. Partway down this corridor (unlit, still only 6’ high) is an old pit trap, concealed by an old
square of canvas stretched over a light wooden frame. Due to its age and the gaps to either
side, there is only a 4 in 6 chance of someone falling into it: the pit is 20’ deep, plain stone.

4. This chamber is a small and modest chapel to the Prophet and St Aldwyn, with statues of
both looking towards the centre of the room. A feeling of tranquillity fills this room, and
anyone resting here will be refreshed (treat as complete bed rest after a sleep).

5. The first of the knight’s tombs, this holds a stone sarcophagus carved with the likeness of a
knight in plate armour, clutching a kite shield and a long sword with an eagle’s head. In the
alcoves to either side are ceramic urns, each holding rolls of brittle parchment holding
ancient prayers and hymns (worth 25 gp to a collector or cleric); there are 5 urns in all. One
urn also has a clerical scroll of protection against evil.

The sarcophagus requires an Open Doors check (or combined Strength of 18) to remove the
lid: inside is the skeletal remains of the knight, still dressed in his ceremonial plate armour
(treat as plate mail), with his kite shield (bearing the seven-pointed star of the Prophet) and
an elegant long sword with the hilt shaped like an eagle’s head. This sword radiates magic if
 detected: it is a Knight’s Blade and in the hands of a holy warrior (either a fighter who
follows the Prophet or a Saint, or a Cleric) it can cast Bless once per day (treat caster level as
the level of the warrior) and bestows a Protection from Evil on the user so long as the sword
is drawn.

Anyone who is not a follower of the faith and takes the sword will be cursed: the thief,
whenever confronted with anyone asking for help, be it friend or foe, will be compelled to
lend a hand to the best of their ability. Resisting the compulsion requires a save versus
magic, and the curse can be removed with a Remove Curse spell.

6. This chamber looks to be another chapel, with beautiful (though faded) murals on the walls,
depicting the Prophet leading her knights in a crusade against the pagans and their demonic
gods.

Where the Prophet herself is raising her sword to smite a demonic god, is a secret door,
which is opened by pressing the stone where the sword points. Beyond is an alcove
containing another stone sarcophagus, bearing the likeness of another knight; this one
wears ornate plate armour, and carries a huge two-handed sword with serrated edges.

Again, an Open Doors (or Strength 20) is needed to pry free the heavy lid. Inside is another
skeleton, dressed in ornate plate armour (as plate mail, but double the encumbrance) and
holding a two-handed sword. This weapon is also magical, and is a Knight-Marshal’s Blade
that bestows Protection from Evil 10’ radius if drawn and used by a holy warrior, and does
double damage against undead.

However, if a thief takes it (anyone not of the faith), the skeleton animates and attacks,
seeking to remove intruders and heathens from the tombs: it will pursue all the way to the
cave entrance, but not beyond.

Knight-Marshal Skeleton

Armour Class as plate mail, Hit Dice 3, Hit Points 15, Move 30’ (90’), # Attacks 1 sword,
Damage 1d6, Morale 12; Special: immune to sleep, charm and hold magic, mundane
weapons do only half-damage, turned as 3HD undead.

7. Another secret tomb, this door is easily missed. Inside is another knightly sarcophagus, the
likeness that of a female knight, with a longbow instead or a sword. An Open Doors (or
Strength 16) is required to remove the lid. Inside is another skeleton, dressed in simple plate
armour (as plate mail) and holding a beautifully crafted longbow, but no arrows.

The bow is a magical Knight’s Oathbow and in the hands of a holy warrior it allows the firer
to make an oath of vengeance against a target: against this target, all damage is doubled,
but a new oath cannot be made until the original oath is met by killing the target. If that
target flees, the warrior must pursue them until the oath is fulfilled.

8. This final chamber is both a chapel and a tomb, holding a small altar adorned with a silver
and gold seven-pointed star that is the symbol of the Prophet (worth 25 gp), and two stone
sarcophagi; each bears the likeness of a knight with a rounded shield and a short sword with
the star symbol protruding from the pommel.

Each sarcophagi requires either an Open Doors check or a combined Strength of 15 to

remove the lids. Inside each is a skeleton knight, both with simple steel shields (with the
Prophet’s symbol on the front) and well-crafted, still sharp short swords.

Both swords are normal, but have kept their sharpness. The shields are too. Both skeletons,
however, will animate and attack intruders not of the faithful is either coffin or the altar is
disturbed in any way.

Knight Skeleton

Armour Class as plate mail, Hit Dice 2, Hit Points 8, Move 30’ (90’), # Attacks 1 sword,
Damage 1d6, Morale 12; Special: immune to sleep, charm and hold magic, mundane edged
weapons do only half-damage, turned as 3HD undead.

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The End

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