The Cursed Reliquary of Saint Valerius
The silence of the grave is broken by the scratching of dry nails.
A sprawling underground burial complex for a forgotten sect of warrior-priests. The air is stagnant, heavy with the scent of ancient incense and decaying bone, and the walls are slick with a black, oily residue.
The air is freezing and smells of old wax and wet earth. The only sounds are the distant scraping of bone on stone and a low, rhythmic chanting that seems to come from the walls themselves. Light is nonexistent save for what the adventurers bring.
☠ Threat
High Prelate Valerius, now a powerful Wight, seeks to expand his undead legion by claiming the souls of any who trespass. His influence causes the very walls to weep a necrotic substance that saps the strength of the living. He commands the lesser undead and can sense the heartbeat of any living creature within the crypt floors.
History
Originally a holy site for the Order of the Silver Shroud, this crypt was corrupted by a necromantic ritual that went horribly wrong centuries ago. Instead of ascending to the celestial planes, the interred priests were bound to their decaying shells, doomed to protect their relics for eternity. The vault was sealed by the church, but the seals have recently been broken by tomb robbers.
Encounter Table
CRTranslucent forms that moan in agony, seeking warmth from the living.
A group of skeletons marching in perfect unison, clattering as they walk.
A multi-legged monster with paralyzing tentacles, drawn to the scent of rot.
Rumours & Whispers
The High Prelate was buried with a mace that can shatter stone.
The blue flame in the lower levels is actually the soul of a trapped saint.
Avoid the whispering hall; the voices are not just echoes, they are your own regrets.
A secret path exists behind the library books if you know which spine to pull.
Quest Hooks
Quest giver: Lord Elian Thorne
A local noble's ancestor was buried in the reliquary, and they want the family signet ring returned to prove their lineage.
500 gold and a favor from the Thorne family.
Quest giver: Father Miller
The local church is horrified by rumors of the undead uprising and tasks the party with clearing the crypt and re-sealing it.
A set of +1 silvered weapons.
Corridor Notes
Iron wall-rings for torches, though all are empty and rusted.
A line of black salt poured across the threshold of a doorway.
Deep claw marks in the stone walls, as if something tried to climb up.
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