The Ruins of Shar-Lin Part 5

The floor below the library is just as large, with few light stones, all of which are near the stairs.  Inside this room is stacks and stacks of books, scrolls, maps and other bits of knowledge.  There are also strange, small contraptions of unknown uses, at least at first glance.  There is only one desk with a large ledger, which is falling apart.  There are rotting tapestries lining the walls, and though they were once beautiful, they were most likely to just keep out the moisture, which they aren't doing so well at the moment.

For the GM this room is the storage for the library, mostly doubles of what is, or was, above.  Some of the books are actually legible and do not fall apart at the touch.  There is little light down here so not to ruin the books.  The ledger is a list of the books in the storage, as well as the contraptions in boxes.  Some of the contraptions include a bug statue that if tapped correctly will move on it's own, a flying bird and music boxes.  There is also 3 ghosts in here.  As long as the party respects the items in the room, they will not attack, but if they try to take the items from the room or throw books or items, the ghosts will attack.

The Ruins of Shar-Lin Part 4

The stairs down lead to large library with chairs and tables scattered around between the bookcases.  All of the furniture in a poor repair and most of the books, though they look whole, are falling apart.  There are niches between the larger book cases which hold glow stones and small statues of women and men with beautiful wings in different poses. The lighting is poor on it's own and the room spans the whole circle, as well as under the balcony/hallway from above.

For the GM, most of the books are destroyed after centuries of disuse and abuse, but there are some knowledge books that can be salvaged.  The small statues are small stone golems, in effect.  If any who are not neutral good (or your games equivalent) come within a few feet of them they will come to life and attack.  One of the niches to the north also harbors a secret door behind the golem, (a moderate search will find it).  This leads to a small room, only about five feet by five feet.  This room harbors a trove of books and scrolls that have been magically sealed in and are in perfect condition.  These books hold a lot of ancient magic, but old maps, old history, or even family records can be inserted here.

The Ruins of Shar-Lin Part 3

This floor of the ruins has small rooms off of the circular balcony like hallway.  Opposite the hallway from the main door is a winding stairway made of tempered metal that runs up as well as down.  Each room is around 5 by 10 feet with a single desk, niches for lights and shelving which seem to be for holding books, parchment and ink wells.  Most of the furniture is destroyed and decayed, and only a few have a lightstone or two in the niches that still work.  Next to the staircase is a locked door.  It is the only room which is locked.

For the GM.  The rooms can hold what ever bits of info you would like to add, or even a random dungeon encounter.  Most, if not all, the parchment and books are beyond usable but you can always add in a lore or magical book if you need to.  The locked door is of moderate ability and is trapped.  The trap is magical, not mechanical, and must be dispelled or the key for the door must be used.  The key is on the lord and master of the ruin on the top floor of the ruins.

The Ruins of Shar-lin Part 2

Once inside, the hall runs beyond the light of the torch.  It is a stone hallway with large stones perfectly fitted together. Pictures of women and men studying books, walking in gardens, and practicing magic are etched into the walls and painted, covered with a fine film of dust, as if no one has walked the halls in centuries.  The floor is covered in tile mosaics of random, beautiful patterns.  The hall slowly slopes downward, but how far it goes or how steep it gets is unknown from the doorway.

For the GM.  The whole complex is protected by stone guardians the size of human, dressed in fancy armor and carrying swords. Treat the swords and armor as magic and you can adjust their pluses as needed.  As long as the party doesn't try to take anything they will not activate in the area they are in.  They are spaced with at least one in each major room, and then randomly placed in niches in the hallways.  You can stick them in as needed.  This hallway runs for about 50 feet, slowly sloping downward and ending in a "T", where the end of the hall stops at a balcony over looking an open room below that also runs upward, though it's hard to tell how many levels.  (You, will know, it is 3 levels higher and two levels down from where they stand on the balcony.)  The hallway runs right and left, curving around the center room, with other rooms branching off from there.

The Ruins of Shar-Lin

The doors, though metal, of this ruin are not rusted and the lock is huge, almost eight inches tall.  So tall, the tumblers are visible it one looks inside.  The statues that protect the door are in perfect conditions, even though the road and the mountain side around them look eroded by time, wind and rain. The statues are looking at each other, with one arm around the the top of the door and the other pointing out toward the incoming road.

For the GM the door is locked, (moderate difficulty for your game), and can be picked like any other lock, though the rogue will need to use his hand or very large sticks, because normal picks will not work.  The door is also trapped, (also moderate difficulty).  If the lock is not unlocked or picked correctly, lightning will shoot between the two statues.  It is a magical trap with a trigger.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 227

Year 227 AC
A ruins is found the mountains in southern Ariella.  What makes this ruins strange is the magic wards upon the entrance are still in place and the entrance is completely intact, with no debris blocking the way.  The entrance way is a large set of metal double doors that lead into the mountain side.  On either side of the door stand stone statues of beautiful women in flowing robes, though their facial structure is far different then any other human on Martapa, with small, oval eyes and delicate features, more elven then  human, but clearly human.  They protectively wrap their arms around the doorway, though their eyes are upon those who would enter.

The next few days I'll be exploring this ruin for you to use in your campaign.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 226

Year 226 AC
Crops are good this year, as are the discovery of several new gold/gem mines on the Dwarven Islands and in Ariella.  Trade is good this year so the need for mercenaries to protect caravans is high.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 225

Year 225 AC
Bandits plague the highways between the village of Brightwater to the city of Landshire.  Trade is slowed or halted all together and people refuse to travel the road.  A call for help is sent forth with rewards offered for the death or capture of the bandits.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 224

Year 224 AC
The year of the Gathering arrives.  This year is busy and many pacts and trading treaties are made, no major weddings are done, though a city mayor from the city of Jaren, south of Karoon, finds a "foreign" bride and they have an elaborate wedding with lots of guests.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 223

Year 223 AC
Ships disappear between Notitia and the port near Karoon.  No one knows what is happening, but adventurers and militia go to investigate.  They believe it may be a freak weather pattern or sea monsters.  The disappearances affect trade between the two cities and prices for those items they ship between ports soar.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 222

Year 222 AC
A lunar eclipse is visible from the northern reaches of the Tsalagi Mountains.  Scholars from all over come to observe, while the priests of Iktomi come to study nature at her finest.  Mercenaries are in high demand to escort the priests and scholars to and from the location.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 221

Year 221 AC

Magical rods that allow people to shout over a long distance begin to be used by the standing militia of Ariella.

A landslide reveals an old temple of some sorts in Ariella.  Those who find it are unsure which god it is dedicated to, but hope to find out who made it and why.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 220

Year 220 AC
A cub named Mahatalo is born to the Grandfather Owl Clan.  The wise men of the tribe agree that there is something special about the cub and he will be trained not only as a warrior, but a future leader and wise man.

A village trying to rebuild after being burned to the ground during the Karoon and Landshire war finds a small cave complex under what use to be there village meeting hall.  Explorers are called upon to see what lays within before they rebuild.

Expanded Timeline For After Chaos (AC) Part 219

Year 219 AC
A strange tree is found in the deep forests of the Tsalagi Mountains.  The tree is supposed to be able to speak and cast small healing magicks. Many people try to find the tree, once again, in hopes of having incurable ailments healed.  Many hucksters take their money and run, but many seekers hire adventurers in the hopes of finding cures for themselves or their loved ones.