THE CRYPT OF THE ST. NEMO the SLEEPER: Super Cleric Bros. Session 6 & A Maybe Dreamer Class

Return to the "super cleric bros. campaign", we left the PC standing in a hallway by the statue of the St. of Sleep (previous session here). And a riddle: 

I sleep behind the sun, setting west ❧ Three guardians east, stand eternal, at my behest ❧ Craving power, these usurpers have bellies distended ❧ They will have no sleep, no rest, & hunger unended

DM NOTE: I was a little worried about this puzzle taking too long being too obscure. I thought it would be good to include demarcations of location and threat. Also, I think puzzles are difficult because I always conceive them at first as something that has to be difficult instead of just something that should spice up play for ~30-1 min.

The PCs first walked west first to discover a bunch of crypts devoted to monks of the past. I had them roll d100 on a table of 100 useful items each representing something the monk was associated with, yielding: pot of glue, pot of alchemical lubricant, dwarven stone drill, diver's suit, and plague doctor's mask (Zyanese). Floating Disk once again comes in handy from their Follower Lunell to load up and carry all the stuff.

DM NOTE: Surprising/unsurprising non-damage combat spells really do amazing work, but only in situations that press movement, resources, and encumbrance. I need to remind myself to create those choices.

Two waves of ghouls are fended off with Turn Undead Rolls. I decided for some reason that all my ghouls should rythm which my players had fun responding like-wise. They ended up back at the staircase they can down the level in. The party moves back east then north once that happens they realize there are three crypts on the right (east) which contain some sorta ghoul-like creatures (pale blue glow to the eyes and blue-grey skin)

Turning left (west) they then realize there are two crypt to the right each with a sun motif. They try the one with the noon sun- no secret door, but a coffer box. Br. Cadfael opens it and receives a poisoning (1 hp; body feels heavy/sleepy roll initiative separately and at a -1) plus several 1000s of coins which they throw on the floating disk.

Moving forward to the second Eastern crypt, they find no coffer, but a setting sun, and when touched a faded blue outline of a moon forms and that's when the 3 guardians made their move. Br. Phelius attempts to turn undead but to no avail. These are not typical- their unlife is born more out of divine punishment.

Br. Cadfael orders the two wizards to the back ranks and barks for Fw. Gersia to fire Magic Missle which hits the first guardian for 6 dmg dropping them instantly!

DM NOTE: But yes, combat magic still in important.

In the resulting series of melee exchanges, Br. Phelius is brought to 1 hp. However, the clerics retain initiative allowing Phelius to retreat and Cadfael to step up in the melee. The cramped quarters serving to help create a bottle neck- along with the floating disk full of stuff. 

DM NOTE: A little annoyed with myself for not having done more prep to make this battle a little more set-piece. In the sense that just as I started with a small puzzle, PCs did some exploration, it would have been cool to end with some tactical combat

Cadfael has the favor of AZLN and avoids several melee exchanges with these guardians while Phelius heals for 6 hp and is able to re-enter the fray! But the cleric lose initiative, yet still, keep to their feet and both land killing blows against the guardians.

Once done, the clerics enter the tomb and recover the body of the St. of Sleep.

PROCEDURAL MODIFICATION as a RESULT of ACTIONS:

Here is the state of the Ossuary Pilgrimage Table or who will come to pray at the Abbey:

Ossuary Pilgram Table (roll 1d6)

1 | MU, St. Ulther

2 | Fighter, St. Ulther

3 | Cleric (zealot), St. Serene

4 | Fighter (adherent), St. Serene

5 | Elves, St. Sleep

6 | "Dreamers", St. Sleep

I might try to make Dreamers some sort of "thief" class. Improved move silently/hide in shadows. Maybe each adventure they can roll on a rumor-like table about their dreams which could be true or distorted (false). Or maybe they see an area like some sorta "treasure" map. Throw some sorta detect secret door as elf owing to a differential perception. Ooo maybe a dream journal, a spell book-like manual, that had random things the sleeper has recorded--- maybe occasionally Sleep, Darkness, and other illusion spells.

If the above table seems mixed up, that's the intent! Religions are weird and often have a mashed-up collection of saints and a lot of revision to make everything fit. I kinda want my players to be just as curious about their own religion-- "What to elves and lions have in common?". I also want to have a lot of gaps to make it wyrd and a little unnerving. Just like the descriptions of Christian angels being all fire, brass wheels within wheels, and eyes.