be flawless if not for several chips and deep scratches around its base, apparently made by edged weapons.
The second statue shows the wyrm several centuries later, probably shortly before its death.
The dragon is much larger, and its scaly hide bears the scars of countless battles. It sits astride a monstrous hoard, and you can see the other marble statue and the golden throne among the other treasures. Like the first statue, this one is exquisitely detailed, and it, too, has been chipped by weapons over its years in the drag-on’s hoard.
After clearing the coins away from the base of the throne, you can finally get a good look at it.
The seat and central portion of the back are made of black marble, threaded through with tendrils of pale gray. The metallic arms and legs of the throne are carved in the shape of young gold dragons, each of which has a gleaming sword thrust through its head. Their wings are partly unfurled, sticking out on both sides of the throne. Looming over the back of the throne is a golden carving of the red dragon depicted in the marble statues. It has huge rubies for eyes, and its teeth are tipped with diamonds. [Total 968,000 gp]
03 The room is dominated by a monumental black marble sarcophagus, with a heavy green marble lid depicting a long dead king [19,400 gp]. Next to the sarcophagus stands a full-size golden char-iot amid several large round-handled jars and containers. [If the heroes try to move the chariot, the feel and weight will suggest it is probably made of wood, but every surface has been covered with a generous layer of gold leaf.] The space for the two horses to draw the chariot is empty but inside the body of the chariot is fitted a small, three-legged stool covered in gold leaf [chariot total;
20,000 gp].
Atop the stool is a transparent crystal box [canoptic jar, 25,600 gp] approximately the size of a man’s fist and inside, a shrunken and preserved body organ, can be clearly seen [a small human heart; 10 gp]. Four alabaster jars [canoptic jars, 25 gp each] each a foot tall contain a variety of pre-served body parts. [These may be of interest to sci-entists or doctors but will fetch little on the open market.]
The other three jars may be of greater inter-est. One, as tall as the chariot wheels and near-ly as wide [jar, 16 gp], is packed full of fine grained sand. Nestled in the sand are six eggs, each nearly a foot tall [giant lizard eggs, still living;
1,000 gp each]. Another, a little taller but more narrow [jar, 8 gp] is also packed with sand. [If the sand is searched:] It contains eight round brown
glass bottles, each a little larger than a duck’s egg and stopped with wax and a cork. Each bottle contains a silvery liquid, thick and metallic looking that shines when it moves [bottles, 5 gp each; mercury, 500 gp each]. A third jar, similar in size to the second [jar, 8 gp], is filled with coins of a great variety, seemingly each one dif-ferent. Some are silver, some gold and others made from exotic materials such as coral, tough leather, tortoiseshell and amber. The shapes of the coins range from the usual disks to pyramids and cubes [300 pp, 735 gp, 2836 sp, 5926 cp; 13 coral pieces, 100 gp each; 466 shell pieces, 1 sp each; 3080 leather pieces, 20 pieces per cp; coin total, 5426 gp].
Arranged against one wall is a row of eleven enormous tusks [mammoth tusks, 1,780 gp each], each one carved with great skill to show exqui-site scenes of all aspects of life in an unknown tribal kingdom. The pictures range from the king on his throne with attendant ministers and wives arrayed around him, through the priests and monks parading around their temples and down to the cock-fighting, dancing and love-making with which the common people enter-tain themselves.
Pushing the lid off the sarcophagus reveals a small coffin, perhaps suitable for a child, made entirely from obsidian [coffin; 968,205 gp]. Also within the sarcophagus but separate from the coffin are a series of small statues of cats and people with cat-heads. There are eight in all, each made of heavy black stone [a type of marble;
110 gp each]. The coffin is firmly sealed and dif-ficult, although not quite impossible, to open without causing damage both to itself and to its contents. [The trick is to tap firmly all along the seam on the right hand side.]
The body within the coffin is completely wrapped in long strips of linen. [If the wrappings are undone:] Tucked in among the linen strips is a series of jewels, six emeralds [1,000 gp each]
alternating with five rubies [5,000 gp each]. The corpse is indeed that of a deceased child and has been fully embalmed. By the feet of the deceased lies a linen bundle of tattered old stuffed ani-mals, perhaps the best-loved toys of the child in the coffin [no value]. [Total 1,100,273 gp]
04 As you enter this huge underground chamber, the first thing you see is a mounted warrior astride his horse with his lance [5 gp] lowered and pointed at you. He is not moving and as your eyes adjust to the dim light here, you notice he is actually little more than a skeleton astride a skeletal horse. Poles firmly planted in the ground run up, one between the horse’s fore-quarters and one between the hindfore-quarters,
holding the horse erect. Another pole runs from the ground directly below what had once been the belly of the horse, up through the saddle on the horse’s back, on through the rider at the inside of his spine, holding him erect in the sad-dle. The horseman is fully armored [masterwork breastplate armor, 350 gp], with a conical helm, an engraved breastplate with a running horse on it, thigh plates and greaves. Only a few scraps of his leather garments remain. He wears a scab-bard holding a long curved sword [masterwork scimitar, 315 gp]. Across his back is a quiver of twenty arrows [2 gp] and a short composite bow [masterwork, 375 gp]. When you look beyond the first skeleton, you can see many other mounted warriors facing out from and surrounding a raised platform containing a pavilion made of felt [pavilion and posts, 350 gp]. All of the war-riors you see seem to be comparably outfitted [30 horsemen total].
The pavilion is as tall as three men at the center post, and round with a diameter of about eight paces. The sides of the pavilion are made of ten large sections of felt. Every other section has been rolled up and secured with leather ties.
The posts for the sides of the pavilion are wood-en poles taller than a man and a handspan in diameter with black iron fittings. In the center front of the pavilion are two stone tables, each with a body on it laid out in burial repose [gran-ite tables, 200 gp each]. One is a male warrior, the other a female in a long gown. The skin of both corpses is pale in death but not corrupted or decomposed, due to magic or an embalmer’s skill. The big warrior has breastplate armor, with weapons and shield at his side. The breastplate and shield are embossed with a stylized golden dragon rearing and ready to strike, in gold leaf with rubies for eyes [masterwork breastplate armor, 4,350 gp; masterwork light steel shield, 2,159 gp]. The greaves and thigh plates are plainer, but polished to a sheen. The warrior has black hair and a beard shot with grey, and seems to have been heavily muscled and barrel chest-ed. He wears leather pants and tunic under his armor, and sturdy leather boots. The clothes were well made and ornamented with colorful stitching, but the leather is now dry and breaks at a touch. At his side lie a greatsword work, 325 gp] and a long curved sword [master-work scimitar, 315 gp]. Beside his head rests a crested helmet with a golden dragon as the crest [masterwork helmet, included in value of armor].
On the bier beside him lies a similarly embalmed female. Unlike the warrior she appears young, perhaps having been in her late twenties when she died. She is gowned in
gold-en silk, with fur trim at the neck and cuffs. Evgold-en in death she is a beautiful lady, though her silk is in ruins. Her long black hair flows from beneath a wide platinum and garnet circlet [11,310 gp]
on her head. Matching circlets on her upper arms are a hand span wide and have a double row of garnets around the bands [5,060 gp each].
Around her neck lies a three-strand garnet necklace, with perhaps a hundred round faceted stones on each strand [52,500 gp]. On her feet are furred slippers, now dry and fragile, and around each ankle are three gold ankle chains, each with a diamond stud at the center [1,355 gp each].
To the sides of the pavilion are two low wood-en tables each five paces long and wider than the length of a man’s arm [tables, 15 gp each].
Each table is set with places for sixteen diners, but there are no chairs. Each place setting con-sists of a gleaming black stone plate [obsidian plate, 496 gp each], goblets of white stone practi-cally glow in the light [white onyx goblets, 1,800 gp each], and heavy silver utensils: a two-pronged fork, wide flat spoon and eating knife [32 silver utensil sets, 30 gp each]. Each table has three white stone decanters [white onyx; 5,700 gp each] resting on matching serving trays [white onyx; 11,600 gp each] and two other serving trays made from a mottled green stone [green onyx;
9,800 gp each].
At the back of the tent are six skeletons sup-ported on wooden frames. Three are dressed in the remains of colorful silk robes and hold musi-cal instruments: a small harp, a large flute-type instrument, and a lute [three masterwork instru-ments; 100 gp each]. The other three skeletons wear tattered white silk robes. Each has a fine golden chain around what would be its ankle [75 gp each], and a golden circlet [90 gp each] around its left upper arm. Two of these figures hold white stone trays like the ones on the tables [white onyx; 11,600 gp each]. The wrists and trays are supported by silk rope tied to the supporting staff behind the skeletons’ necks, holding the serving trays horizontal. The arm bones of the third skeleton have become detached at the elbow and the white tray lies on the stone floor of the platform, shattered into hundreds of pieces. [If the clothing here were to be intact, the two central figures would have nobles’ outfits, 75 gp each, while the side figures would have courtiers’
outfits, 30 gp each.]
Under each of the stone tables on which the man and woman lie are two large, strong chests [4 gp each]. They are incredibly heavy, and almost impossible to move out from under the tables. When opened you find the chests under the mother of all treasure tables
the man’s bier are full of ancient gold and plat-inum coins, whereas the chests under the lady’s are full of ancient copper and silver coins. [4 chests: 25,633 pp, 57311 gp; 68453 pp, 14491 gp;
46035 sp, 36909 cp; 64069 sp, 18875 cp; 82944 coins per chest, each chest weighs about 1660 pounds; total coin value 1,024,230.24 gp] [Total 1,366,771.24 gp]
05 While it might be hard to imagine how it arrived here, there before you stands the largest sleigh you have ever seen [mithral sleigh, 60,760 gp]. It is easily the length of ten horses, its run-ners wrought of steel and coated with mithral.
Upon closer inspection you discover most of the sled itself is fashioned of steel, with decorative elements and panels of brilliant, gleaming mithral. It is hard to imagine what beasts could pull such a large, heavily weighted object. The runners curl upward and back into huge, ornate patterns of filigree behind the sled. Large brass bells, the size of a man’s hands cupped together, hang along the bottom of the sled and from the lantern poles in the front.
There are eight rows of seats within the sled and each seat is lined with white fur. In a pile at the front of the sleigh is an enormous length of heavy chain. [If stretched out the chain is twice as long as the sled; it attaches to a ring at the front and is included in the value of the sleigh.] Sitting on one of the fur-covered seats inside the sled is what appears to be a priest’s headdress [1,130 gp].
Embroidered onto the fabric covering the back of the head and the shoulders are winged horses, eagles, and human-headed winged beings. Many hollow, silver pendants adorn the crown of the headdress, in the form of feathers set close together to create a musical jingling sound appealing to the ear. A framework of willow twigs supports the tall cylindrical cap of the headdress. The shoulder cloth is made of pale gray velvet.
You also discover a hempen bag [2 sp] on the floor of the sled’s interior, within which are more incredible objects. The largest of these is a shallow, wide copper bowl [70 gp], grown slight-ly green with verdigris but expertslight-ly fashioned.
Next you find a large diamond [3 inch diamond;
2,569,091 gp] of gray-brown hue. The diamond is the size of a small plum and is perfectly cut.
Within its smoky depths you can see your sur-roundings refracted to infinite proportions.
Along with the diamond is the largest pearl [4 inch pearl; 608,900 gp] you have ever seen, and you could only imagine from what sort of ocean-ic terror such a treasure was plucked. The pearl is a deep, brash silver in color, and is the size of an apple. It is so precisely formed that when
rolled across a smooth surface it moves in a per-fectly straight line, never wobbling. Last you dis-cover a long, highly polished ebony box [64 gp]
holding what can only be a gilded peacock feather [1,000 gp], light and delicate, as if every filament and strand had been coated in a gentle aureate mist. [Total 3,241,015.2 gp]
06 You find a free-standing construction that not only manages to dwarf you in size but also con-founds and perhaps even amazes you. A giant base of gold comprised of a single disk of gleam-ing metal has been set into the ground [90 foot disk of gold; 916,000 gp. Disk is 1 gold piece thick, although the heroes will not be aware of this unless they try to dig up the disk or carve out a chunk of it].
Inscribed with odd symbols and sigils [Star signs, astronomical in nature, and various other non-mag-ical writings], the thin disk stretches thirty paces across the floor. Around the edges of the disk are placed fist-sized gem disks, of a deep green, blue and radiant orange color, each one of them cor-responding to a marked out segment of this device [4 emeralds, 4 blue star sapphires, 4 fire opals; 150,000 gp each].
Rising from the center of this disc is a column of silver [A 6 inch diameter column almost 12 feet in height; 1,000 gp] upon which is mounted a large crystal sphere of a bright yellow hue [6 inch sphere, yellow corundum; 4,120,000 gp] and around this sphere are other complex workings
— cogs, wheels and various arcing arms all made from precious metals [brass and silver cogs, wheels and workings; 12,000 gp]. The machine looks undoubtedly dangerous as it is in a state of con-stant motion with the arms moving as they do.
[A difficulty 25 reflex test is required to navigate the machine.]
It is a chaotic dance of movement as spheres made from different precious and semi-precious stones which sparkle and gleam brightly [spheri-cal gems: 1 inch fire opal, 19,000 gp; 2 inch yellow topaz, 76,000 gp; 2 inch blue sapphire, 152,000 gp; half-inch moonstone, 120 gp; 1 inch ruby, 19,000 gp; 2 half-inch moonstones, 120 gp each; 4 inch jasper, 61,000 gp; 4 half-inch moonstones, 120 gp each; 2 inch sardonyx, 7,500 gp] hurtle around this brightly lit center orb, whirling by in a blur and then slowing as they spin and circle.
They are all of different sizes and the odd motion is definitely a repeated pattern of some sort. [Those characters with the correct knowledge skills will be able to work out that its not just a pret-ty piece of moving art, but a device for charting the motion of planetary bodies known as an Astrolabe.
A difficulty 25 task check is required for this; the GM may decide this belonged to a powerful or leg-endary figure. The Astrolabe is configured to
repre-sents the known solar system at the time of Copernicus and Gallileo. It is possible to reconfigure the Astrolabe without damaging it. The GM could revise it to match the preferred view of the universe.]
Within the center of this contraption there is a long golden tube of some kind [Golden tele-scope; 7,000 gp] sitting at an angle and pointing slightly upwards [Within the tube are two large lenses, one convex and one concave, made from perfectly unflawed crystal-clear glass, each worth 3,000 gp], upon the side of this tube is a smaller golden tube [1,000 gp] attached by gold rods [100 gp] and set with two small pieces of crystal [Small glass lenses, 500 gp each]. This device is mounted upon a golden stand and has several small wheels and levers that look invitingly easy to reach, given the apparent danger of the sharp edges of the machine’s movement. Each of the four wheels has a small red gemstone [rubies, 1,000 gp each] shining at the center and the three levers are tipped with a blue-white gem as well [ blue-white diamonds, 5,000 gp each]. [Total:
7,217,440 gp]
07 The hoard before you is breathtaking, a moun-tain of copper and silver coins tipped with plat-inum and gold [140,736 pp; 651,943 gp;
1,528,407 sp; 2,009,650 cp].
Although some show their age, stamped with the crests of families long since gone, others are newly made. The piles of gold, silver, and plat-inum are a testament to the previous owner’s love of things shiny. [4,330,736 coins total, 86,615 pounds; this “mountain” would be 15 feet in diameter and 10 feet high.]
Beside this lovely landscape is an old chest whose lock broke a long time ago. Opening it you find bolts of silk in gleaming ivory, pale pink and peacock blue [3 bolts, 20 square yards each;
10 gp per yard, 200 gp per bolt] cushioning jewels that sparkle and shine with color. The most stunning is a large emerald, the size of an egg, cut into a multifaceted rhombus [1,629,746 gp].
Nestled next to the emerald lies a set of five rubies identically cut into cubes [13,037 gp each]. The neighboring topaz is not without its own allure. It is the size of a large coin cut as a faceted triangle [10,200 gp].
Resting in between the top two bolts of silk is a jeweled sword in its scabbard. The scabbard is platinum-plated leather with engraved swirls flowing up from the tip toward the middle where they form the head of a snake [3,720 gp]. The snakehead looks back at you with its ruby eyes and seems to move as the light hits it at differ-ent angles. The artwork then crawls up toward
Resting in between the top two bolts of silk is a jeweled sword in its scabbard. The scabbard is platinum-plated leather with engraved swirls flowing up from the tip toward the middle where they form the head of a snake [3,720 gp]. The snakehead looks back at you with its ruby eyes and seems to move as the light hits it at differ-ent angles. The artwork then crawls up toward