Old Tomb

The Old Tomb was a large mausoleum nestled in the Desertsmouth Mountains.

Location
The structure was located in a boulder-strewn valley overgrown with scrub in the Desertsmouth Mountains between Anauroch and the Dalelands. It could be found traveling through miles of challenging wilderness due west of the Serpentsbridge that spanned the Dagger River.

Structure
The mausoleum was built of skillfully cut stone blocks to form a one-story building with no windows and a gently peaked roof. Three stone steps bracketed by stone banisters led up to a set of large double doors. A statue of a female knight with a shield and an upraised sword stood above the lintel on a platform.

Interior
The inside space was approximately 20 ft (6.1 m) wide by 30 ft (9.1 m) deep and open to the roof. On the back wall of the room was an inscription in the Common tongue. In the center of the floor was a rectangular stone coffin on a bi-level bier that was 4 ft (1.2 m) by 10 ft (3 m), all carved from the same block of granite. The coffin lid was a stone slab decorated with a relief of a female knight in full plate armor minus the helm. The arms of the figure laid by her sides with a sword and a wand held at the ready. The face of the knight had no distinctive features other than being a human female in repose.

The coffin was empty and at the bottom was the opening of a circular shaft with hand- and foot-holds carved down one side. The shaft descended some 30 ft (9.1 m) with the last 10 ft (3 m) open to a rectangular room with wooden doors on the other three walls. The room contained a stone chair and table, and a small chest. On the table were some sheets of parchment with writing on them, and a ring. The coffer contained three magic scrolls: a cure serious wounds and two invisibility spells. On a peg near one of the doors was a warm woolen cloak. In a stained area of the floor laid a dagger. The ring, cloak, and dagger all radiated magic if detected.

Through the door next to the cloak was another small room that contained a table. On the table was an open coffer that contained a human skull that burned with continual flame, a mundane longsword in a scabbard, and a map. The map appeared to lead to some treasure cache but, compared to known and proven maps, it was fanciful and only contained one or two actual locations that were correctly labeled.

Through the door opposite the climbing shaft was another small room that contained a well with fresh, drinkable water, a stool, and a set of low wooden shelves that stretched the length of one wall. On the shelves were random pieces of old, ornate armor&mdash;helms, gauntlets, bracers, etc.&mdash;that looked like they had been looted from ancient Netherese or Anaurian tombs. Many of the pieces were magically enchanted with unknown effects.

The door nearest the floor stain and dagger opened into a room with a large circle chalked onto the floor that appeared to have arcane uses. In one corner was a wooden side table with some lumps of chalk and a ring of keys. Mounted about three-quarters of the way up one wall was a metal ring with a chain attached to a lockable metal collar.