87 rooms · levels 30–55
You are on a well-kept gravel road just outside Orolin's West Gate, where it runs south into the city's old graveyard. Dark evergreens crowd both sides of the road, and among them to the west the first tombstones lean in the shade. An iron grate closes the road to the north.
The gravel road crunches underfoot between rows of dark evergreens. Someone still rakes it: the stones lie even, though no mourner has walked here in years. The road runs north toward the city and south toward a dark church, and the graveyard lies west through the trees.
Halfway down the graveyard road a stone bench stands under the evergreens, its seat split by frost. The air is cold and still. To the west the graves crowd close to the road; the road goes on north and south.
The evergreens thin here and the spire of an old church rises ahead to the south, dark against the sky. Weeds have begun to creep across the gravel. Graves lie west of the road, and the road runs north back toward the city.
You stand in an open space before a large church whose walls are streaked black with damp. The gravel road leads north through the graveyard; the church steps rise to the south. West, the graves press up to the edge of the clearing, and east a narrow path wanders off among the paupers' graves.
You are standing on the steps of an old church. The church looks very old and is in decay, and you have the distinct feeling that evil now lies within. It is very quiet here. A massive wooden door to the south leads inside; it has been desecrated with unknown markings. A dead orchard lies to the east and an overgrown garden to the west, and the open space before the church is back north.
A low stone wall marks the north edge of the graveyard, and a rusted lych-gate opens from the gravel road to the east. The oldest tombstones stand here, worn almost smooth. The rows of graves run on to the south.
Tombstones stand everywhere in crooked rows, and the grass between them is grey and brittle. The earth before several graves has been disturbed, as if from below. The gravel road is to the east; the graves go on north, south and west.
A great yew tree grows in the middle of the graveyard here, its roots heaving the tombstones around it out of line. Under it the ground is bare and cold. The gravel road is to the east, and more graves lie north, south and west.
A family tomb of black granite stands here, its iron door rusted shut. The names cut over it have been chipped away. The gravel road is to the east; the graves run north and south, and a row of humbler stones lies to the west.
The last graves stand close to the church here, and thorn bushes from the garden to the south have grown in among them. The clearing before the church is east, and the rows of graves run north.
The graveyard ends at a crumbling wall overgrown with ivy, and beyond it lies only the desert. The stones here are small and plain. The graves go on east and south.
An open grave yawns here, freshly dug, though no gravedigger has been seen in Orolin for many years. The dirt piled beside it is scored with the marks of fingers. The graves go on north, south and east.
A row of children's graves lies here under a dead rose bush, each marked with a little stone lamb. It is the quietest corner of the graveyard. The graves go on north and east.
Here is the foyer of the grand church of the GOD of ATOR. The foyer is large and at one time ornately decorated with religious symbols. Now the foyer has been severely shredded with unspeakable evil. On the west wall still visible is a painting of an old man. While the painting has been shredded you can still make out the likeness of an old man you seem to recognize. He has a white beard and very wise, forgiving eyes that seem to pierce your soul. You almost notice a tear in his eye. Below the painting is a book or rather what once was a registry. To the north you may leave the church, or to the east you may visit the classrooms of ATOR. Or to the South you may visit the grand cathedral.
The orchard must once have been a beautiful and peaceful place, where you might have rested on the grass under the oak, pecan and magnolia trees. Now they are all dead, and decaying branches and stumps litter the ground. The air smells of death; you hope it is not yours. The church steps are to the west, and a narrow path leads north to the paupers' graves.
There is a large garden here that once looked a peaceful place to commune with the god of your choice. Now the ground is overgrown with thorn bushes and vines, a dark and rank-smelling place. The apple trees that once grew here are dead, their branches scattered on the ground. In one corner you notice a hole, recently dug, and you shiver to think what must be down there. The church steps are east, and the graveyard lies north through the thorns.
Here is the hallway that connects the Foyer with the classrooms where true religious teachings were at one time a regular occurrence. The walls are shredded and the floor is dirty, smelling very bad. It is dark as the torches have been removed or burned down to stubs. There are exits west and east.
Here is the end of the hallway. It still smells very bad and looking at the floor and walls, you see evidence that the evil beings have been very productive. There are doors north and south which are obviously classrooms and a door to the east. Or you could take the safe path and exit west leading to the hallway.
The schoolroom has been used and is now decorated with a different kind of religion. The teachings here now fill you with dread as you realize the evil things that were once here were learning how to welcome YOU to their world of the undead. You grimace and decide you better take the exit south before they return to further their education.
Here is a schoolroom that has only recently been converted to a different, very evil type of religion. There are drawings, pictures, and writings that you find pleasing and comforting that are in disarray and have been torn to shreds. They have been replaced by images of things that will do you great harm. You fight the feeling of upset and try to hold your lunch down. For your own safety you better exit back north.
The bottom of the belltower is dark and dank, and it smells like a sewer. It is very quiet now; once this room led up to the bells that called all of Orolin to the church. A ladder climbs up to the top of the belltower, and the door west leads back to the hallway.
You struggle to reach this room as it has been a long climb. There is a large bell here, still intact. The room amazingly is undamaged and your heartbeat quickens as you realize that there still is a place in the church untouched by evil. The windows here overlook the massive orchard that looks like a war zone, and beyond you see the graveyard. The feeling of dread returns as you are aware that you must pass these places to return to your home. Looking closer at the bell you notice the intricate, ornate carvings and are overcome with grief at the realization of all the wondrous things in the church that must have been destroyed. The only exit is down.
You find what dug the hole. The wight decided the graveyard just wasn't good enough for him and he had to have a better home than what the living could have made for him. The small crypt smells terrible and is small even for something that is dead! You could always just leave back up.
As you enter this room you get a full realization of how large and intricate the cathedral really is - or was. All around you is excrement and vile smelling pools of slime. The pews of the church are ripped and beat to small bits of timber and ripped cloth. You begin to notice skeletons and half rotted cadavers. There is a stench that is apparently stronger further inside the church. Very little light filters in from the broken stained glass windows. There are exits to the south, east, and west. There is always the way back to the foyer to the north.
You are in the right side of the back of the church. The stench is strong. There is a corpse here hacked to pieces by the conquerors of the church. You just hope there are not others that met the same fate but your sixth sense tells you otherwise. A little light filters in through the window here that has been shattered and is lying in small pieces of glass on the floor. You can exit to the west.
This room is the back, left side of the cathedral. As before the stench is strong. The lighting here is faint and you wonder why the bad things that took this place over would shatter what was once hand crafted stained glass. There is an exit to the east.
You stand in the very center of the massive cathedral. The light here is very weak, but can see the ceiling which towers several meters above your head. The timbers holding the church upright are huge and ornately carved and appear to have been assembled a long time ago to stand up to the passing times. The floor is polished oak that was built by hands of caring. The pews here appear to be made of the same strong oak while the velvet cushions are ripped to shreds. The stench is very strong and you think you may really lose your lunch before you can find your way to the next rooms. There are exits to the north, east, south, and west.
Here is the right side of the massive cathedral. As elsewhere the stained glass windows are broken out, and looking through one you see why so little light gets in: the church is overgrown with vines and thorn bushes that cover nearly every window. No worshipper from Orolin has come here for a long time. The center of the nave is back west.
As you look out the window here, you notice the overgrown garden and a hole in the ground there. As you move the vines to get a closer look, you notice that inside the hole may hold some key to what caused this destruction. As before the smell is terrible and is becoming even more overpowering as you near the altar. There is an exit east.
You stand before a large altar. The stench is now overpowering but the great destruction that has been brought to bear here is even more so. The pews are ripped and charred and the velvet cushions are in small shreds and scattered. There are many humanoid corpses that have been stabbed and hacked repeatedly. The lighting is faint however you notice a small glow that comes from atop the altar. The glow seems to give you hope and you have a strange feeling to move forward toward the altar. There are exits north and south.
Here is the altar of ATOR. The altar itself is hacked, broken, charred, severely desecrated. The marble the altar was made of has broken off into chunks and fallen onto the floor. The stench here is more overpowering than ever before and you choke to breathe. But what is most amazing is the statue that stands upon the altar. The statue is of the likeness of the old man you saw in the picture in the foyer. The statue glows with a faint light and has been obviously untouched. As you move your hand to touch the statue a voice in your mind forces you to withdraw. You can readily see what has kept this statue free from all harm - the blessings of the god himself. You begin to realize that whatever protects this statue may reward you for defeating the evil that conquered this holy place.
There is a large area here that was once used by the choir. There are songbooks ripped to shreds, robes in scraps, and several corpses lying scattered about. As usual the pews are ripped to shreds and the lighting here is very faint. The smell here is not as bad as before but you still have a hard time breathing. There are exits to the east, west, and door to the south.
Standing before you is a massive organ. The organ is still impressive despite the pounding it has taken at the hands of the intruders. Finely polished and engraved wood are meticulous in construction as the organ surrounds itself on three sides of the organ player. The keyboards are multi-leveled and the foot-pedals are multi-tiered. The pipes are most impressive as they surround and blend into the walls around this immense room. However sitting at the organ appears to be your worst nightmare.
This is the choir's dressing room, where the choir put on their robes: many of them still lie about the room. It is dark, and the ever-present smell seems to have died away here. The choir pit is back north.
Here the acolytes sit until called upon by the priest to help in the services of the church. There are collection plates with broken instruments of torture lying about. The floor is stained with blood and you see several corpses dressed in solid white robes that have been hacked and stabbed until they died a most unpleasant death. The lighting is very dim but you do see what might have killed the undeserving victims. There are exits east and west.
Here the acolytes dressed in their white robes and prepared themselves for the church service. As you guessed the robes are ripped and the floor and walls are stained with blood. The exits are to the east and west.
Here the acolytes kept neat and hanging in the closet their robes, and vessels for the church when not in use. The closet is now empty, save the usual havoc wrecked upon the walls and floor by the invaders. There is an exit to the east.
This is a small area immediately behind the altar. There is evidence of a great battle here. The floor is charred and there are broken weapons, scraps of cloth, cracked helmets, and many corpses. You are very surprised to see the corpses belong to what looks like the invaders and there is no sign of any dead church members. You are very puzzled what this may mean. The obvious exits are to the north and west.
Here is the office of the mighty priest. A desk sits in the middle of the room that has been ransacked. There are many books, scrolls, and a few potions lying about the bookcase - all broken and destroyed. The invaders were looking for something here and you wonder if they found what they were looking for. There is an exit to the east and a door to the west.
Here is where the priest kept his robes, crowns and other instruments of the priesthood. You notice on the wall a map that has been ripped making it unreadable. The closet otherwise is empty, but you feel great power and strength coming - or used to come from this room. The only exit is to the east
You have found the real closet of the priest. On the back wall is a finely crafted cabinet with solid glass door. As you look in the cabinet your heart stops as you realize the value of the equipment the priest left behind. You now understand what the invaders were looking for and feel relieved you have discovered this treasure first. There is a door to the east.
East of the church clearing lies the paupers' field: low mounds with no stones, only wooden markers fallen over in the weeds. A narrow path leads south toward the dead orchard, and the clearing before the church is back west.
Here is the final rally point for the undead hordes that overran the church. Scattered in piles lie maps, discarded equipment and written orders for the attack on the church. The room is very large, and it is plain that whoever planned the attack sent a great many warriors to sacrifice themselves so that others behind them might succeed. A trapdoor leads up into the church; wide hallways run west and south, and a rally room opens to the east.
Here is a wide hallway that joined the rooms where the attackers were drilled and rallied to the last checkpoint beneath the church. To the west is the bank of a large body of water. The floor is worn smooth, and you can tell the hordes that took the church all came this way. A rally room is north, and the checkpoint is back east.
Here is a large hallway that connects several "holding rooms" to the entrance beneath the church. The hallway has had much activity as you see broken weapons of all kinds discarded on the floor. There are hastily drawn maps on the walls that indicate further instructions to the invaders. There are exits north, south, east, and west.
Many benches line the walls and the middle of the room. In one corner is a large board with a drawing of an old man with the name ATOR on the back of his robe. An arrow points to him with the word ALIVE printed very plainly beside it. You realize at last that the attack on the church was not to destroy it but to capture the old man, and that the grim, determined attackers who gathered here succeeded. The hallway is back south.
This room has no furnishings at all. It is very large, and from its center you can barely see the walls in the poor light. Close to the walls you see words scratched into the stone: patrol A, patrol B, patrol C, and so on. The room is very clean, but a few weapons of war have been left behind. The checkpoint is back west.
The room here is several large wooden benches all facing a large board. On the board you see a map of the church above with checkpoints drawn on the map. You can tell the attack was well organized and would overwhelm the peaceful church. Written under the map you can make out the words TAKE ONLY ONE PRISONER. At that your heartbeat quickens when you know that there might be someone left alive. There is an exit to the east.
The room here is used as a place where troops gather to await the assault. Instructions for the assault and capture are posted on a board which stands in one corner of the room. The troops that gathered here were whipped into a killing frenzy as there are signs of slash and stab marks on the benches that face the board. There is an exit to the west.
Here is a large room that has benches that face an instruction board. On the board you see a map of part of the church. The map indicates which area this "group" of soldiers are to capture and hold. A leader of the group stands in front of the board with a mischievous smile. As you enter the room the smile turns to terror and he screams at you with hate. For your own safety you could return north.
You are on a large, deep body of water. The calm water is dark, almost like black ink, and you think you see something moving just below the surface. The hallway is back on the east shore; the far shore lies west, or you could try your chances down.
The first thing you notice here is a long tunnel that slopes down at a severe angle into the depths below. To the east is the large pool, and moored on this shore is a very large barge, made fast so thoroughly you have no chance of using it. The floor is well worn: a great many people, or things, have passed this way.
Anyone or thing that fell into here was meant to stay here for a long time. It is very dark here but as you swim around you can sense corpses, equipment, and SOMETHING else. Swimming up quickly would be a very good idea.
You have arrived at the bottom of a long shaft that slopes sharply up from here. It is markedly cooler than at the top and feels more humid. There is not a sound but a drop of water striking the ground every few seconds. A tunnel leads north, or you may be able to climb back up.
Here is a long tunnel, very quiet and almost peaceful. From the entrance you cannot see the far end, but as you walk on you make out ways north and south. The walls are smooth, cut by tools rather than water.
As soon as you enter here you can hear faint noises from the east and west. You are not alone, and the feeling of dread returns. It is cool and dank, and you begin to wonder if you have made the right choice. The tunnel goes on north and back south, and openings lead east and west.
This is a large room that is obviously the home for something you would rather not think about. As you look around you can see dead and decaying corpses all over the room. As you look into one corner you notice one of these corpses raise and begin to move toward you. There is still an exit to the east.
As you enter this room the first thing you see is the biggest, baddest, meanest, boniest, skeleton you ever saw. Before you can look around the bones start moving toward you.
Quiet has returned here. The walls and floor are smooth and the ceiling is several feet above your head. The tunnel runs north and south, and smaller openings lead east and west.
As you enter the cave here the first thing you see are two ghasts fighting over the remains of something less fortunate than yourself. Unless you wish to be in the middle of another fight you better exit east quickly.
Scattered around the small cave here are bones and decaying flesh. Poking around the bones is a ghoul who looks up and slowly begins moving toward YOU. Unless you want a fight you should go west quickly.
The tunnel narrows here and its walls run with a cold green slime that drips from the ceiling and pools on the floor. Side passages once wound off in every direction, but they have fallen in, and only the way north and the way back south are left. Something has dragged itself through the slime toward the north.
You stand where the slimy passage meets a path that slopes steeply downward. It is very, very quiet here, and you sense great evil below. The slimy passage is back south.
The large tunnel levels out here. A shallow layer of water covers the ground in ankle-deep mud, water drips from the walls, and the air smells rank, of decaying flesh. You can make out some light to the east, or climb back up.
You have come upon a very large cave, lit by a light whose source you cannot find. Something evil stands here, and rather than rushing to attack it seems to defend something. A heavy door stands in the south wall, and you can leave safely to the west.
As soon as you step into this room the door behind you slams shut and vanishes into the stone. There is no going back the way you came. You hear a loud, hideous laugh that echoes along the walls; you cannot tell where it came from, but you are sure it came from behind you. The only way on is east.
Here a junction joins the tunnel to a ledge to the north and to the room to the west. A twisting tunnel leads south. You can barely make out a faint noise to the north.
As you move toward the ledge you can see that there appears to be no bottom. It would be dangerous to try to levitate over the cavern and try to find an exit further north even though there might be one. There is not much room to maneuver here and there is always the way back south.
Here is a long, twisting tunnel that winds in several directions, up and down as well, until you are confused about which way you are going. At last you think you see ways out to the north and the east.
You have come upon a large cave with a very high ceiling. Along the north wall is a small opening, and in the east wall a crack you might just squeeze through. The twisting tunnel is back west.
Here is a smaller cave that can be the home to something that you would probably not like to meet. There are old gnawed bones here which confirms your fear of bad things to come. There is an exit south.
You have found a crack in the wall just large enough to squeeze through. As you work your way along it the sharp rocks poke into your skin and make your armor very uncomfortable. Just as you leave the tiny crawlspace an earthquake shakes the cave, and the crack closes up behind you. You have a distinct feeling that this was not a random event. Only a passage south is left.
You have discovered a hallway that is clean and well cared for. The walls and floor are polished stone and there are lit torches along the walls. There is a room to the west and the hallway continues to the south.
This room is decorated with weapons, and armor taken in battle and mounted upon the walls. The weapons have nicks and the armor is bashed and there are notes by each with the victims name and date of death. There are chairs and other furnishings fashionably placed. But what disturbs you is the presence that is also here. There is always the exit back east.
The hallway continues here. Lit torches line the walls and the lighting is good. Whoever built this place was intelligent and has a purpose to his life - or life after death. There are exits north, south, east, and west.
This room is very nicely decorated. But instead of decorating with equipment of battle this "devil" decorated his with stuffed heads of vanquished foes. Beside each head as before is a note as to name and date of death. Another unique thing in this room is the devil. He motions for you to draw your weapons and prepare yourself. He truly enjoys a good fight.
The demon here is not nearly as neat as the others. There is still equipment with notes beside them but they are scattered about the room. The room is dusty and you spot the owner sitting comfortably in a chair on the west wall. You may quickly be able to exit east.
You have reached the end of the hallway. You can make out sounds of movement all around you, - You are not alone! There are exits north, east, and west.
This devils home is not decorated with anything - he feels he doesn't have to. His place in this fortress is second only to his master. When he sees you enter he doesn't give you a chance to prepare but instead attacks immediately!
In the center of this room is a large table with many chairs pulled up close. On the table are maps, troop strengths, chain of command, etc., all the details of waging war on something - or someone. On one wall is a large banner which reads in large print ... NO VICTORY - NO RETURN. Whatever planning in this room that took place was determined and very well executed. There are exits to the east and west.
There are weapons and other instruments of war here. The chests here are closed and locked with care. The room is small with very little room for anything other than this equipment and chests.
Well, you've done it now! Two large guardians stand along the north wall, and they rush to attack as soon as you make your presence known. The room is scarred with the marks of others who have tried, but there is no sign that any of them succeeded. Your fight here will be brutal, with little chance of success. A door in the north wall leads on, and the planning room is back east.
Centered squarely in this room is a throne of gold and silver, exquisitely decorated with gems and jewels. On it sits a large grinning devil, who smiles and motions you closer. You feel compelled to obey, and as you step up to the throne his smile deepens. Your coming was foreseen, even watched. But now, finally... YOU MUST DIE! The door you came in by is behind you to the south.
Chained in one corner is the priest. As you enter the chains break and the priest slumps to the floor. He is very weak and looks as if he would welcome death. He smiles a grim smile at you and you see admiration and respect in his eyes. He motions toward the exit and drops a key here. He says to take his earthly possessions as he should now go meet his GOD and atone for his failures. He then utters a few words and disappears in a fine mist. A deep resonant bell rings - the sound coming from the exit.
You have found the real treasure that the arch devil craves and protects. When he discovers that you have found this place he is likely to be rather upset. For your own safety you better tiptoe back west.
OH NO..When you stepped off the ledge any magic spells you had were quickly dispelled and you begin a rapid trip.........DOWNWARD. Just before you make a red puddle at the bottom you realize that......
YOU HAVE DIED