# Rappan Athuk: Who Shall Survive?



## Grifter86 (Mar 17, 2002)

Hello everyone.
I am high school sophomore trying to get some gaming with my rag-tag group of friends. I have major preparations under way for a Greyhawk game of great depth and plot, but the character preparation it entails is not being fulfilled quite as quickly as I would hope. So I have chosen to run the guys through RAPPAN ATHUK: THE DUNGEON OF GRAVES! 

I figured a nice hack n' slash adventure would put everyone back into their groove and we could all have fun. I started everyone off at 5th level, and moved them into the area around the dungeon straight off with some basic geographic knowledge of the area and the proper amount of money for PC's of their level. 

The Party is as follows:


Ashrem (Half-orc barbarian/ fighter 4/1)
The Master Hu Li (Human monk 6)
Burne (Human barbarian/fighter 1/4)
Artemis ([I hate the name too] Human wizard 5)
Yorblin ([I really should take authority over the naming of characters] Halfling rogue 5)
Merolen Amakiir (Elven cleric 5 of Pelor)


WARNING!: SPOILER FOR RAPPAN ATHUK AHEAD! 





A brief overview of the Dungeons of Graves: 
The tomb is basically a system of caverns that was carved out for use by worshippers of the Demon-God Orcus. Atop this massive system of caves lies a sunken graveyard, wherein lies the remains of the heroic warriors of an army of light that assailed the complex and met nothing but death and undeath. 

After the appearance of this graveyard, the peaceful creatures of the wood disappeared replaced by beings contorted by malice. Hearing reports of this, a cleric of Heironeous by the name of Bofred delved into the graveyard. Though his companions spoke of great riches and terrible dangers, Bofred himself was never heard from again.

Of course, over the years fortune seekers have delved into Rappan Athuk, most never returning, some finding nothing but hardship, and a very few finding fortunes well worth the risk.


Each member of the party knew a rumor regarding this terrible dungeon. These rumors are as follows:

- The wise man uses the underground rivers to travel through this place, though this is dangerous if the correct channels are unknown. Many men have drowned in them. *

- As the great mage Speigle said, "Beware of purple worms." This wise man heeds his advice. *

- Solid mithril gates bar the way into a vast treasure horde, which is guarded  by a lich. If one were to gain access to the cavern, one would be wealthier than an emperor.*

- Giant scorpions guard the tomb of a fell king. *

(Note: Not all of these rumors are necessarily completely true)

After the party had cut their way through the natural dangers and unholy evils of the Coast Road, the party, Ashrem and the Master Hu Li in the lead, crested the last hill, and a structure came into view. In stark contrast to the lush greenery of the hills lay a large, sunken graveyard, laid out in the shape of a cross. 
Rather than towering above the ground, the graves had settled into depressions, and the main mausoleum, a building of strange green stone, rests in the deepest depression some 40 feet below the ground on which the party stood. At the other end of the grave filled hollow stood what appeared to be a stone well. The normal sounds of wildlife were gone, except for the large carrion birds that circled overhead.*

Yorblin and Artemis looked to each other, looked back to the Dungeon of Graves and said as one, "Uh. say, isn't their some vestige of civilization out here?"

Yorblin continued, "We should know where to go in the event that we need to get someplace secure!" 
And without further explanation, they dashed back towards the Coast Road, searching for a community along the road.
(i.e., their players weren't there)

The rest of the group either shrugged rolled their eyes, or didn't care. 

I'm going to stop for now, but I'll have more this afternoon as time permits.

Next Time: Who will die? Will anyone die? Will Master Hu Li become the Venerable Master Hu Li? Will they go down the Well?
Find out next time, same Grifter place, same Grifter time!

*Some text borrowed from Necromancer Games module R1: Rappan Athuk, The Dungeons of Graves: The Upper levels


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## Grifter86 (Mar 17, 2002)

*The Well*

Okay, here's the deal with the Well: No one knows quite what it is or what it leads into, but the adventuring community generally has one piece of advice: avoid it at all costs.


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## Breakstone (Mar 18, 2002)

I've always wanted to read a Story Hour from Rappan Athuk. Consider me a reader!


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## Grifter86 (Mar 19, 2002)

Its great to have reader!

But, just so you guys no, don't expect much of a storyline. My players and I are a group of deeply embittered High School sophomores and a freshman. Right now the only thing that appeals to us as an escape in D&D is a good ole fashioned Dungeon Crawl. 

Expect the next update on Wednesday!


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