0 Prologue

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Prologue
This is a game I run. It’s based around 2nd Edition AD&D rules.
I gave some characters a background of the land and the area. I got one of my players to do a write up which didn’t happen until the third session.

Background for the players
For time immemorial the nation of T’lar had been involved in conflict. Continuous border wars with Cetain to the North East and numerous sea battles with various nations.
About 100 years ago a great man emerged to bring T’lar to prominence. He was Edmund Rice, a tactician, engineer and advisor to kings and generals.
Under his advice T’lar established strong border defenses and great tactics in the art of warfare. He identified strongholds and helped to eliminate weak points in the nation’s land and sea forces.
Many a battle he could be seen helping direct the efforts of the nations army, often he would arrive at a crucial point and with swift action help turn the tides of the invaders or through his use of siege equipment break down the fortifications of the enemy.
For over 30 years Edmunds advice was sought and the strength of the T’lar nation was decided. Incursions from other nations became rare and peace came to the land.
Edmund was never heard of again, rumors abounded that he had died in one last battle or that he had bigger ideas to expand the borders of T’lar against the wishes of the Kings other advisors, some say he fled to another country to escape retaliation from those he had wronged. During his career he had crossed many a politician and general to get his way, in the end he was always proved correct but had built up a poor reputation with some of those in power.
Some of his wartime strategies also cost the lives of men in seemingly callous ways, he would happily sacrifice a squad of men to learn an enemy’s strength and weaknesses.
Some soldiers looked up to him as a hero and savior while others were wary of his dealing.

Just recently you have heard a rumor someone knows the whereabouts of the final resting place of Edmund Rice.

Maybe one of your ancestors fought alongside him and you would like to show respect at his grave. Perhaps someone in your family died unnecessarily in a battle at the hands of Edmund.
He could have bought fame, wealth and honor to your family or maybe shame and resentment.

I want you to give me a hook why your character would be prepared to undertake hardships to find the final resting place of Edmund Rice; of course he should have been well rewarded for all the victories that he helped T’lar achieve, shouldn’t he?

A brief précis of the first two sessions

The party get together around the death bed of a worker who helped build the tomb of Edmund Rice, an engineer and adviser to the nation of T’Lar.
You gather in the capital city Tenque.

<Journey to the tomb>
Attacked by zombies, some fishy being while crossing a river and swamp goblins trying to get into the tomb

The group entered the complex through the pyramid structure, got beaten by the automatons and explored the kobold lair.  They released Mickel the dwarf and took out several rooms of kobolds before alerting the complex. Retreated back and ambushed the search party and get an ogre on their side. Mass combat saw the weasels take out the ogre.  The shaman and a couple of kobolds escape.
They removed the planks sealing the door that should not be opened and made a couple of attempts to open the stuck door.
Left the complex with their loot and a cobbled together cart.  A bronze dragon swoops down and questions what they found in the Tomb of Edmund Rice, he identifies the magic sword for them and is disappointed that there is not another item he wanted.  He asks whether they will return – they will.
In town they spend two weeks getting a bow made and more provisions. They return to the complex approximately 4 weeks after leaving it.

<Return to the complex>

Find the corpses after the battle, some have been partially eaten, there is no sign of the ogre or weasel corpses.
Huge 4 legged beasts attack the party, hard to kill.
Go into the garbage disposal pit and Derek is paralyzed by a gelatinous cube.

Get back to the pyramid portion, defeat the automatons and descend to bandy riddles with a djinn type being. Solve a numerical code.