Burial Mounds - Hi Resolution Day, Night, Desert, Winter & Secrets Hidden Variants! (Patreon)

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Background

Although the freeholders are the most numerous inhabitants of the eastern frontier lands, they were not the first to call it home. Small groups of wandering nomads have lived here for generations. They do not build settlements, and so leave little evidence of their existence, but there are a number of burial sites that hold particular significance to them. They are avoided by the freeholders out of respect, and not a little superstition.

One of the burial grounds has been desecrated by graverobbers, but the nomads are unable to intervene as all but the chief and elders are forbidden from entering the lower chambers according to the ancient laws of their people. The chief went to investigate but hasn’t returned. Now they are seeking outsiders to help remove the graverobbers, find the chief, and ensure no more damage is done, as the spirits are surely angry enough already. One of the remaining elders can provide some guidance on how to enter the lower chambers, but is too frail to be able to join them, and only the chief knew all of the crypt’s secrets.

Grid Information

GRID SIZE – 34x22 (300DPI)
VTT SIZE – 4760x3080 (140DPI)
RECOMMENDED PRINT SIZE – A1/ANSI D

Design Notes

Burial Mounds - Mausoleum

• 01 – Cobbled Path – Old moss-covered stone path, flanked by tall carved wooden pillars. Some have fallen and rotten with age.
• 02 – NW Burial Mound – Rows of skulls line stone shelves around the circumference of the walls. The central hatch has been broken open, which leads down to 10. Anyone dropping down from here will be trapped in the cage below.
• 03 – NE Burial Mound - More skulls line the walls. Two empty chests on the northern wall are used to place offerings of food during the harvest season. The central hatch has been partially broken open, a deliberate attempt to lure adventurers to climb down, leads to 11. Anyone dropping down here will land in the spiked pit below.
• 04 – S Burial Mound - More skulls line the walls. The sections of the central pedestal can be rotated in a particular way to reveal the stairs below. This is the entrance usually used by the nomad’s chief and elders when entering the crypts.
• 05 – Spirit Houses – These are a kind of half-way house for recently departed spirits to enter and rest before passing on. Family members and friends who are grieving can come here to talk to their lost loved ones and be heard.
• 06 – Primary Burial Mound – The oldest remains are stored here; the other structures have been built more recently. Secret door S on the eastern side leads to 07 but can only be opened from the inside without doing severe damage to the wall.
• 07 – Hidden Storeroom – None of the living members of the nomads are aware of this chamber, it has been sealed for generations.

Burial Mounds - Crypt

• 08 – Preparation Chamber – Bodies of the recently deceased are prepared here. The bodies are cleansed, the skull removed, and the remains ritually burnt to prevent resurrection. The skulls are then displayed in the mausoleum above.
• 09 – Crypt Entrance – The elders rarely go beyond the Preparation Chamber, but if they are required to head deeper into the crypts, they will first protect themselves by chanting the inscription on the scrolls, then placing a drop of their own blood in the amulet and putting it on, and finally hitting the gong three times. If there is no reply, they are safe to proceed.
• 10 – First Cavern Chamber – Much older skulls are placed in natural rock shelves. Ancient candles somehow light themselves as they are approached. Some water has seeped in leaving puddles. In the centre of the room, the grave robbers have set up a metal cage to capture anyone attempting to get into the caverns from 02 above.
• 11 – Second Cavern Chamber – Smaller chamber, similar to the previous. The Graverobbers have dug a pit and lined it with wooden spikes to trap anyone attempting to get into the caverns from 03above.
• 12 – Third Cavern Chamber – The eastern wall of the chamber is built from stone, similar to the mausoleums above. A large iron door magically blocks access to the room beyond (13). Two mounted bronze skulls flank the door.
  It appears the graverobbers have been trying to gain access to the hidden chamber. A number of broken tools litter the floor and there is a small camp set up on the western side. A small table has been set up, where it appears one of the graverobbers has been trying to perform blood sacrifice rituals to unseal the door. The body of the chief lies nearby.
• 13 – Sealed Crypt – An ornate stone sarcophagus sits in the centre of the room. Four more sarcophagi covered in red candles lie on shelves on the outer walls. A throne decorated with skulls watches over them. This is the tomb of the first chief, who was corrupted by dark spirits in life and sealed away.
  Although the reason is long forgotten by the living nomads, the skulls of their dead are placed in these crypts and the mausoleums above to guard his remains in death and ensure he cannot be resurrected.
  Stairs lead up to 07. Secret door in the northern wall leads to 14.
• 14 – Treasure Room – Before the first chief was entombed here, this building was a meeting hall for the different groups of nomads, and their collective wealth was kept safe here. Now it lies hidden behind the un-enterable chamber, lost to time.