Crypts, Headstones and Monuments


This graveyard is old, very old. There is a low stone wall (4' high) surrounding it with openings at the center of each wall.
Many of the headstones and monuments have a permanency spell cast on them. These are triggered when the text of the stone is said aloud.

Any living creature that passes through any of these 4 openings triggers a Permanent Illusion spell. This has both audio and visual effects. The visual effect is that the fog begins to swirl and forms a fearsome face of congealed fog with a gaping maw. It speaks saying is a loud, deep and threatening tone "If thou values thy immortal soul, disturb not those who's bodies lie within."

Guarding Fog Face





The area to the lower right of the ground floor map shows the out buildings of the manor. When the house was small, most of these outbuildings weren't not as close as they are now. Here is a close up view of the Family Graveyard.
In the image to the right the Red Squares indicate graves without markers.
The walled area is filled with Corpse Cats
There will be no other encounters except for the cats. Roll a d6 every minute and if a 1 or a 2 is shown a cat will attack until they have all been killed. They will not group together to attack. What do you think they are dogs or something?
Corpse Cat
N Small undead
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +5
Defense
AC 20, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+6 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +2
Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee +1 bite +10 (1d4+2 plus trip), 2 +1 claws +11 (1d2+2)
Tactics
Base Statistics Without greater magic fang, the cat's statistics are Melee bite +9 (1d4+1 plus trip), 2 claws +10 (1d2+1).
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 22, Con —, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+18 when jumping), Perception +5, Stealth +14
SQ tricks (attack [all creatures], come, fetch, guard, seek, stay, track)
Cats
Red
 21 11 17 14 15 19
Green
 20 9 20 18 16 16
Purple
 13 25 20 13 20 13
 





Many of the graves in this graveyard have been dug up. Inside these open pits are the remains of the people who were buried there. Their spirits have been released from them and have gathered inside the House of Stone as the Stroking Spirits. The bodies that remain in the graves have become Festrogs.
When the party enters the graveyard they will "smell" them and rise from their graves and attack.
If the Festrogs are killed, their spirits will be put to rest and will no longer pester the party.

Festrog
This hideously malformed, hairless, pustule-covered corpse moves and snarls more like an undead hound than an undead man.
CR 1 XP 400
NE Medium undead
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +6
Defense
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 9 (2d8)
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +4
Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.; four-footed run
Melee bite +4 (1d6+3 plus feed), 2 claws +5 (1d4+3)
Special Attacks charging trip, diseased pustules, feed
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 13, Con —, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15 (19 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Climb +8, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +3
Languages Common
Ecology
Environment any land
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–5), or pack (6–11)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Charging Trip (Ex) A festrog that hits with its bite after making a charge attack on all fours can attempt to trip its opponent (+4 bonus). This trip does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Diseased Pustules (Ex) When a festrog takes damage from a piercing or slashing weapon, some of its boils rupture, squirting the attacker with puslike fluids. The noxious secretions carry a potent contact disease that causes those infected to break out into painful necrotic boils.
Necrotic Boils: Disease—contact; save Fort DC 11; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con; cure 1 save.
Feed (Su) Every time a festrog makes a successful bite attack, it feeds on its opponent's flesh and gains 5 temporary hit points. The festrog cannot have more than 5 temporary hit points gained by this ability at one time.
Four-Footed Run (Ex) A festrog can run on all fours at speed of 50 feet if it doesn't hold or carry anything in its hands. When running on all fours, it is treated as if it had the Run feat.
A festrog is an undead abomination spawned when a creature is killed by a massive release of negative energy (perhaps due to planar bleeding, the destruction of a potent artifact, or even certain magical attacks by powerful undead), and then mutilated by an outside force, such as the scavenging of wild animals. Sometimes called dog-ghouls for their ability to run on all fours, the name often causes opponents to misinterpret this creature's abilities and grossly underestimate its intelligence, for the festrog is in fact a rather canny monstrosity.

For all of the quotes below pick part of the real name and prepend it to the name either Norman or Normad. If 2 names are given use both.

Monument- 1 The soul that suffers is stronger than the soul that rejoices. Shepard
Festrog
Monument- 2 Tears are often the telescope by which men see far into heaven. H.W. Beecher
Monument- 3 Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts, not amid joy. Hemans
Festrog
Monument- 4 What seems to us but dim funeral tapers may be heaven's distant lamps. Longfellow
Monument- 5 Death is the golden key that opens the palace of Eternity. Milton
Festrog
 Unmarked
Monument- 6 If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I’d walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. Unknown THe name on this statue has been scratched out but the sentiment remains
Festrog
Monument- 7 Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Moore
Monument- 8 Heaven, the treasury of everlasting joy. Shakespeare
Monument- 9 Death is not a foe, but an inevitable adventure. Sir Oliver Lodge
Festrog
Monument- 10 Remember sadness is always temporary. This, too, shall pass. - Chuck T. Falcon
Monument- 11 They are not the stars, they are openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
Festrog
Monument- 12 Say not in grief: "He is no more", but live in thankfulness that he was. - Herb Normad - Proverb
Festrog
Monument- 13 The heart of him who truly loves is a paradise on earth. Lamennais
Monument- 14 Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss. Milton
Festrog
Monument- 15 Whoever brought me here, will have to take me home. - Rumi
This monument has a magical glamor cast on it that has no other effects.
Monument- 16 Humble love, and not magic, keeps the door of heaven. Young
Festrog
Monument- 17 It is good to die before one has done anything deserving death. - Anaxandrides
Monument- 18 God's finger touched him, and he slept. - Alfred Lord Tennyson
Monument- 19 Dust thou art, to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soul. Longfellow
Festrog
Monument- 21 Safe in the hallowed quiets of the past. Lowell
Festrog
Monument- 23 He hath awakened from the dream of life. Shelley
Festrog
Monument- 20 The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth, One's nearer God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth. Dorothy Francis
Monument- 22 Yet in this heart's most sacred place, thou, alone, shall dwell forever. Moore
Festrog
Monument- 25 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away. Cant. ii:17
Festrog
Monument- 26 Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Moore
Festrog
Monument- 24 Whither thou goest, I will go. Ruth i:16
Festrog


The Crypt House

The most striking feature of the graveyard is the Crypt House.


It is guarded by the Grave Digger. He is awakened by the Face of Fog and begins planning his attack. He likes staying inside the crypt as it allows him to stay in a corner and cast spells without possibility of being flanked or surprised. He will stay inside and throw his spells at the party and dare them to bring the attack to him.

2 Ancient Gravedigger CR 10
XP 9,600
Ghoul oracle 10
CE Medium undead
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
Defense
AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 112 (12d8+58)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +13
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2; Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 bite +14 (1d6+6 plus disease and paralysis), 2 +1 frost claws +15 (1d6+6 plus 1d6 cold, disease, and paralysis)
Ranged rock +13/+8 (2d4+7)
Special Attacks disease (DC 15), paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, DC 15, elves are immune to this effect)
Oracle Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +14)
5th (3/day)—flame strike (DC 19), mass inflict light wounds, stoneskin
4th (6/day)—divine power, inflict critical wounds, summon monster IV, wall of stone (DC 18)
3rd (7/day)—animate dead, blindness/deafness (DC 17), dispel magic, inflict serious wounds, meld into stone
2nd (7/day)—darkness, desecrate, hold person (DC 16), inflict moderate wounds, spiritual weapon, stone call
1st (7/day)—command (DC 15), entropic shield, inflict light wounds, liberating command, magic stone, obscuring mist, shield of faith
0 (at will)—bleed (DC 14), create water, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, mending, read magic, resistance, spark
Mystery stone
Tactics
Before Combat The ancient gravedigger prepares for combat by quaffing potions of greater magic fang and mage armor . He uses earth glide and crystal sight to observe foes fighting his underlings before he attacks.
During Combat The ancient gravedigger prefers to fight at range, relying on summoned creatures, flame strike, and spiritual weapon to deal damage while he uses earth glide and crystal sight to take cover from the fray. If he must enter melee, the gravedigger fights viciously.
Base Statistics Without greater magic fang and mage armor, the ancient gravedigger's statistics are AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 14; Melee bite +13 (1d6+5 plus disease and paralysis), 2 frost claws +14 (1d6+5 plus 1d6 cold, disease, and paralysis).
Statistics
Str 20, Dex 18, Con —, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 18
Base Atk +8; CMB +13 (+17 trip); CMD 27 (31 vs. bull rush, 33 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Extra Rage, Greater Trip, Improved Natural Armor, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Bluff +16, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +19, Perception +17, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +18
Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Terran, Undercommon; tongues (understands only)
SQ oracle's curse (tongues [Aklo]), revelations (crystal sight, earth glide, rock throwing, stone stability)
Combat Gear potion of greater magic fang, potion of mage armor ; Other Gear belt of giant strength +2, cloak of resistance +1, frost amulet of mighty fists, ring of protection +1, throwing stones (10), onyx gems (worth 1,000 gp total), silver dust (worth 25 gp)

The floor has a number of marble slabs carved with the names of those who rest beneath.
Only one has any importance. That is the slab lying over Lisim Normad. Once the gravedigger has been overcome, the spirit of Beatrice will appear over that slab. She can not manifest beyond a swirl of lights that instantly reminds the party of the first time they saw her in the abandoned fort. All she can do is make the tiny sparks appear and move them about to encourage the party to dig up the slab.
When the slab is removed they will find a casket made of very thick glass inside. As the dirt is cleaned away the will see a male body inside. It is mostly obscured by a thick pink fog that swirls about sometimes showing and at times hiding the corpse of a very old man. It is mostly intact, but very desiccated. It is dressed in ceremonial mages garb and is holding a single long stemmed white rose. The clothes and the rose do not look like time has passed since he was buried. Once the dirt is cleared away, Beatrice will begin lowering herself down in sparkle form and try to lay on top of the casket. Do everything you can to convince the party to open the glass casket!
There is a seam in the top that looks like it has been sealed using tar. When this tar is breached, there will be an exhaling of the pink gas that smells like roses. As soon as the gas has departed the casket, the Beatrice sparkles will seep inside. You see them disappear into the nostrils of the body. Within seconds of this the chest begins to rise and fall. A minute later the eyes open. Then the mouth and jaw begins to work from side to side and then open. A bit later the hand reach up and touch the glass in front of it making a sign to open the casket.
If the party refuses, the sparkles will come back out of the body and casket and bounce around them frantically.
When the party takes the top off of the casket, the body very slowly sits up and looks around. In a moment he puts his hand together as in prayer and bows to the party. With each minute that passes the body seem to become more limber although it does not appear to become more alive. Its skin is still dry, the eyes have no moisture and it smells like it's old clothes. When its mouth opens, the tongue appears shriveled and the throat is dried and closed. A dribble of dust rolls down its chin. It holds its hand out to be assisted out of the hole the coffin is in.
It will stand up and bow to each of the characters again. The face mussels do not move so it appears emotionless.  It resumes its charade like pantomime trying to explain. The gestures used are very graceful and in a couple of minutes everyone will see that Beatrice now inhabits the body. She gestures unrolling a scroll, sharpening a quill, dipping it into an inkwell and writing on the scroll then cocks her head as if in question. The finger of this thing do not appear to work much. When she is provided with writing stuff, she tries to write but fails. The fingers don't work well enough to hold the quill much less write. The figures shoulders fall in disappointment with this failure.
Sometime before going anywhere, she will leave the crypt and go into the graveyard. She will go to the Family Crypt and point to the door but will stop anyone from entering it.
Then she will lead the party back through the graveyard out of the walled area and to the door to room 66. She will go across to and through the door to room 60. It is clear that every step it takes seems to drain more energy from it. It moves more and more slowly until it has to be helped into the room as if an invalid. It once in 60 it slumps the the floor and become inert. It's clear that the spirit is no longer inside the dry husk of a person.
Once the first orb was removed from the house, many of the wards inside fell. This allowed her to last for more than a moment outside of the power of the house. With every orb that is removed from the house she will become stronger. Here is a table that outlines this effect:
1 orb
 Manifest within the fog surrounding the HOS & animate the body of her lover-move for 5 minutes - walk only - HP 2
2 orb Move for 10 minutes @ 10' - move head - HP 4
3 orb Move for 20 minutes@20' - move facial mussels and express emotion - HP 8
4 orb Move for 30 minutes@30' - grab with fingers - still can't write - HP16
5 orb
 Move for an hour & dash - Write, draw and dance - HP 32
7 orb Move and speak normally - HP 64

Con starts at 1 and goes up 1 with each orb removed. When the orbs are destroyed she will go to the golden hallows.

Floor of the Crypt House




The Family Crypt
At the southern entrance to the walled graveyard is the Family Crypt. It is much newer than the Crypt House that lies inside the graveyard.

It has two statues standing guard over the crypt entrance. They are facing in toward the graveyard as if guarding the building from things coming out of there.
These are gargoyles that will come to life when anyone attempts to open the door to the Family Crypt without speaking the words carved into the lintel.
"Blessings to those who in humility without sin and curses to those who would disturb the slumbers of those within!"
Gargoyles X2
1 HP 152                                       2 HP 155





Gargoyle


Seemingly carved from a dark gray stone, this sinister crouching humanoid resembles a horned, winged demon.
Gargoyle CR 4
XP 1,200
CE Medium monstrous humanoid (earth)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
Defense
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 42 (5d10+15)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4
DR 10/magic
Offense
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Melee 2 claws +7 (1d6+2), bite +7 (1d4+2), gore +7 (1d4+2)
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 7
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Hover, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Fly)
Skills Fly +12, Perception +5, Stealth +11 (+17 in stony areas); Racial Modifiers +2 Stealth (+6 in stony environs)
Languages Common, Terran
SQ freeze
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or wing (3–12)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Freeze (Ex) A gargoyle can hold itself so still it appears to be a statue. A gargoyle that uses freeze can take 20 on its Stealth check to hide in plain sight as a stone statue.
Gargoyles often appear to be winged stone statues, for they can perch indefinitely without moving, allowing them to surprise their foes. Gargoyles tend toward obsessive-compulsive behaviors that are as varied as their kind is plentiful. Books, stolen trinkets, weapons, and grisly trophies harvested from fallen foes are just a few examples of the types of things a gargoyle might collect to decorate its lair and territory. Gargoyles tend toward a solitary lifestyle, though they sometimes form fearsome groups called “wings” for protection and sport. In certain conditions, a tribe of gargoyles might even ally with other creatures, but even the most stable alliances with a gargoyle tribe can collapse for the smallest of reasons—gargoyles are nothing if not treacherous, petty, and vindictive. Gargoyles have been known to dwell in the heart of the largest of cities, crouching amid the decorations of stone cathedrals and buildings where they hide in plain sight by day and swoop down to feed on vagabonds, beggars, and other unfortunates at night.

The longer a tribe of gargoyles abides in a region of ruins or buildings, the more its members come to resemble that region's architectural styles. The changes a gargoyle's appearance undergoes are slow and subtle, but over the course of years, it can shift radically.

One unusual variant of gargoyle dwells not amid buildings and ruins but under the waves of the sea. These creatures are known as kapoacinths—they have the same basic statistics as normal gargoyles, save that they have the aquatic subtype and their wings grant them a swim speed of 60 feet (but are useless for actual flight). Kapoacinths dwell in shallow, coastal regions where they can shamble up from the surf to prey on those that reside there. They are more likely to form wings, as kapoacinths prefer group living to a solitary lifestyle.



The doors are actually triple doors. There is a Bronze gate with locks at the top and bottom center with keyholes about 1/2 in wide. Behind id is a Bronze Plate with a keyhole in the center that is in front of a Bronze Door with a huge hasp lock on the right side.. Each of the locks is DC30 to pick. Each one uses a different lock mechanisms A 8 tumbler lock (DC 30) then a 6 digit alphabetical lock with sliding steel pieces like old typeset pieces that must be positioned correctly (33) followed by a rotary lock that requires 5 different locks be picked (Each is DC25) If any one fails, they all relock.

Although the outside of the building is rectangular, the inner area is a dome.  This dome is completely covered with skulls that are grinning down on all who enter this place.
On the far wall is a alter with bones arraigned in an odd and ominous pattern. THe alter has 3 stone steps leading up to it. The 5 skulls on the human figures appear to be made of gold. Actually they are covered with 2 lbs of gold. Anyone stepping on the steps will activate the gold skull guardians.

As if the walls and ceilings being covered with the skulls of the family and servants skulls, the floor has a particularly ominous form.
Everything on the floor is made of bone. Other than the circles in the center that are made of stone, the rest of the floor is covered with a mosaic of bones set into the ash from a crematorium. The bones and the center rings must be stepped over in order to reach the alter. The central figure is a Crypt Thing. It will only animate if someone steps into one of the circles on the floor. It is impossible to get to the far wall without stepping in one of the circles. The creature does not teleport their opponents away, it turns them invisible and makes them paralyzed.
Crypt Thing CR 5
XP 1,600
NE Medium undead
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15
Aura fear (10 ft., frightened for 1d4 rounds, Will DC 16 negates)
Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +8
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2; DR 10/bludgeoning or magic; Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d8+4)
Special Attacks teleporting burst
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +10)
3/day—quickened dimension door
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 14, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 23
Feats Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Bluff +6, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (history) +3, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, stealth +9
Languages Common
Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Teleporting Burst (Su) Once per day, a crypt thing can teleport all creatures within 50 feet of it to randomly determined locations. The crypt thing can only affect creatures of which it is aware and to which it has line of sight. A successful DC 16 Will save negates this effect. An affected creature is teleported in a random direction (roll 1d8, with 1 indicating north and the other numbers indicating compass going clockwise) and a random distance (1d10 × 100 feet) away from the crypt thing; determine each creature's direction randomly. A teleported creature arrives in the closest open space to the determined destination, but must appear on a solid surface capable of supporting its weight. If there is no appropriate destination in that direction, the creature does not teleport at all. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Crypt things are undead creatures found guarding tombs, graves, and crypts. Necromancers and other spellcasters create them to guard such areas, and the crypt things never leave their appointed lairs, even to pursue enemies. Their warded area may be a single room or passage, an entire grave complex, or even a city-sized necropolis. Though naturally solitary, multiple crypt things may guard a common area, often in conjunction with constructs or other undead.
A crypt thing only initiates combat if it is attacked or if the object or crypt it is guarding is touched or entered. Until this condition is met, a crypt thing is content to remain motionless—it may even answer questions or otherwise interact with visitors if its master has directed it to do so. Rumors exist of variant crypt things that do not teleport their foes, but instead paralyze opponents and turn them invisible, leaving victims to helplessly watch their allies being torn apart by the angry guardian.




Once the party gets close to the alter they can see that there is a chest partially hidden under the right hand arch.
If any one touches a step leading to the alter the 5 guardian Bone Golums will attack the party.



5 Bone Golem CR 8
XP 4,800
N Large construct
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
Defense
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 90 (11d10+30)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3
DR 5/adamantine and bludgeoning; Immune construct traits, magic
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +14 (1d8+4), 2 slams +14 (2d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bone prison (ranged touch +12)
Statistics
Str 18, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Base Atk +11; CMB +16 (+20 disarm or grapple); CMD 28
Feats Improved InitiativeB
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary or gang (2–4)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Bone Prison (Ex) As a standard action, a bone golem can throw some of its bones at a creature within 30 feet—it must make a ranged touch attack to hit. These bones magically duplicate and form a cage surrounding struck creatures. Each round, the cage makes a combat maneuver check to deal the golem's slam damage, using the golem's CMB. If the check fails, the target is still trapped but takes no damage. The target can escape the grapple normally, or can break out of the bones by dealing 15 points of damage to the prison, which has the same AC, DR, and saves as the bone golem itself. Damage to the prison has no effect on the golem. The golem can only have one bone prison active at a time. If it wishes to create a second one, it (or some other creature) must first destroy the existing one.
Immunity to Magic (Ex) A bone golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and abilities function differently against the creature, as noted below.
Magical effects that heal living creatures slow a bone golem (as the slow spell) for 1d4 rounds (no save). Inside the chest is a key and a crude map. The key is made of bone (a real skeleton key!) and will unlock the trap door in room 19 that leads down to the dungeon level.
In the N.W. corner of this room, buried under the mounds of bone and covered with the gruesome mosaic is another entrance to the dungeon.It is a trap door that opens to a 50' deep hole with a spiral staircase at the bottom that leads to room 33 in the dungeon.
To get a chance to locate this entrance, the mosaic must be destroyed and the bone 4" deep under that cleared away. The DC to spot it is 30 as it is covered with dirt indistinguishable from the surrounding ground.
It is a alter to one of the death cults of Yakmarta