The Royal Barrows II: Barrow of the Queen

 Note: see the Barrow of the Prince for the general features of the Royal Barrows.

The Barrow of the Queen also features Northern styles with images of the Giant Lords and valkyries welcoming the brave dead to the Cloud Hall, but these eventually give way to curious architectural features and decor reminiscent of those found in the ruins of the Old Empire.  Specifically, that of the Amazons who descended from the Imperial heroine, Serpica (see hexes 0642 and 0942 on the wilderness map for more about the Amazons of the Northern Marklands.)

Queen Beltis’ origin as an Amazon was not common knowledge.  Her path crossed several times with Cyneric during her wandering years as a sellsword under her nom de guerre, the Hellcat in Auburn.  After many near-death experiences in battle together (including one in which they were on opposing sides,) the two became close, and eventually lovers.  She secretly chose the powerful Northman to be the father of her child, as is Amazon custom.  Once her quickening belly began to show, she left Cyneric without notice, and returned to her homeland to give birth to a daughter and future Amazon.

 

Beltis:“Well, I suppose consorting with the enemy does invalidate our respective contracts, though I doubt those penniless princelings were going to pay us, anyway.”  Cyneric:“To the Black Ice with them both!  By Corum’s jagged teeth, we’ll take our pay from their miserable, perfumed hides!”  Beltis: "Sounds fair to me!  Spearman!  On your right flank!"

It was not until many years later, while seeking former allies to take on the Snake Cult, that an older, temporarily deposed King Cyneric was able to track Beltis down.  He found the once-Hellcat had become a wise and respected matron to her tribe, with hair beginning to show more gray than auburn (though no less beautiful for it; perhaps even more so.)  Cyneric was also able to meet his daughter, Taera; now a fully-grown Amazon who had been blessed with the best features of both parents.  Cyneric had unwittingly earned this special and extremely rare privilege only because he had aided the warrior women during a crucial hour of need, with little knowledge that he had helped his own daughter (though her likeness was uncannily familiar.)  It was this serendipitous encounter with the Amazons that led him back to Beltis.

Beltis was surprised to find that her heart still had a place (long thought buried,) for the aging Northman, and despite her tribe’s (and daughter’s) protests, she joined the Barbarian King in his vendetta against the nefarious Snake Cult.  It was this rekindled love that led her to stay with Cyneric and become Queen after the Cult was defeated, and their puppet in Alkastra deposed.

After Cyneric’s passing, and with Prince Connel still too young to rule (as they had him later in life,) Queen Beltis became Regent.  She was beset by intrigues seeking to supplant young Connel from the very beginning, and had to be constantly wary of poisoned words from her council, outright poison in her cup, or the glint of a dagger in the shadows of both her chambers and those of her son.  She sought help from her daughter and fellow Amazons (who still held her in the highest regard,) and their response was a small contingent of the warrior women, with Beltis’ own daughter at the vanguard.  They became the Queen Regent’s personal guard and Prince Connel’s protectors.

Left: A mournful Queen Beltis and Prince Connel witness King Cyneric’s funeral pyre.  Right: Surrounded by a court of vipers, the Queen Regent places her trust in only two things - family and steel.

Once King Connel had come of age and successfully inherited the throne of Alkastra, Beltis felt comfortable enough to retire as her son’s advisor, with frequent trips to her homeland to visit.  Despite times of conflict, she lived peacefully until passing in her sleep many years later at a venerable age, and was buried honorably in her own barrow next to her beloved.  Most of her personal guard chose to be buried with her when their time came; to protect her for all time.

Alas, the corruption in the Royal Barrows has twisted the spirits of Queen Beltis and her guard, and they have become foul undead and shadows that now only seek to destroy the living.

Barrow of the Queen Encounters (2d6)

2. 1d4 mummified Amazons turned wights
3. 1d6 ghouls - the rats of the undead world
4. 2d4 humanoid zombies – victims of the Barrows
5. 1d8 troglodytes  (see Room 6)
6. A swarm of 4d6 giant rats fleeing the denizens of the Barrow
7-8. 3d6 animated skeletons of lesser Amazon guards
9. 4d6 sprites from the Shrine of Althea (see Room 7)
10. 1d3 giant, poisonous (black widow) spiders in a webbed area.
11. 1d8 poisonous (pit viper) snakes
12. 1d4+1 shadows – the spirits of Beltis’ greater Amazon guards

 

Barrow of the Queen Key

Room 6: Amazon Tombs

These chambers are catacombs where Beltis’ Amazon honor guards are buried.  The lower-ranking Amazons are buried in alcoves, while the higher-ranking ones have their own sarcophagi.  Many of the tombs have been desecrated and there are bones and grave goods scattered about.

The culprits of this desecration are seven (7) troglodytes (HP 4, 12, 7, 5, 11, 14, 8) that tunneled into this area escaping war against other humanoids (see the Barrow of the King.)  They collapsed their escape tunnel and have made themselves at home here in the meantime.  The stinking squatters are not keen on being removed from their new abode.

Treasure scattered about the area includes the following (in the order the PCs can find it, taking at least one turn for each):

1. 700 sp
2. 700 ep
3. A gold ear clasp with blue zircons worth 110 gp
4. A silver bracelet with topazes worth 110 gp
5. A golden gorget studded with jaspers and amazonites worth 130 gp
6. Copper pendants embossed with pegasii and small onyx worth 80 gp
7. A +1 spear, currently wielded by a troglodyte (the one with 14 HP,) but clearly not of their own make

A break on one part of the southwestern wall is the collapsed tunnel which the troglodytes originated from.  Clearing the collapse would require tools and several hours of work (2d6) to reveal a cavernous tunnel that leads to the Barrow of the King.

Room 7: Shrine of Althea

This is a round shrine that features caryatids of peaceful Amazons in worship along the walls.  A central, alabaster statue of a woman dominates the room, with limbs reaching out almost tree-like towards a bronze, verdigrised disc representing the moon and its phases overhead.  Small motes of light shine from holes in the ceiling like sun rays poking through the treetops, and give the statue a life-like aura.  This is Althea of the Green Moon, chief deity of the Amazons.  

 

Althea of the Green Moon

Before the statue is a reflecting pool closed off by an iron grate, with five, keyless locks at each point of a five-pointed star.  To open this grate and access Queen Beltis’ tomb (Room 9,) the player characters (PCs) must unlock each lock by completing one of five separate trials in Room 8.  A thief could also try to pick each lock at a 10% penalty, although the denizens here would try to stop such an attempt (see below.)

The PCs are not alone here.  There are 11 sprites (HP 4, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 2) that dwell in the vicinity of the statue and are watching their every move.  When the Queen’s Barrow was consecrated by Amazon priestesses, it opened a small connection with the realm of Faerie.  However, the corruption of the Barrows has closed off that connection and the sprites are now stranded.  They have been in survival mode for a long time, ducking shadow Amazons, troglodytes, and others, and they have developed a mean streak as a result (-1 to reactions.)

If the PCs can survive their mean-spirited practical jokes and parley with them, they will relay their plight.  They also know about the adjoining areas (Room 8,) and how they open the way to Queen Beltis’ tomb.  This is crucial, because if the characters do not develop a rapport with the sprites, they will try to sabotage their success in each of the trials.

Once the grate to the reflecting pool is unlocked, they must dive inside a flooded hallway below and swim to reach Queen Beltis’ tomb (Room 9.)  This is, in effect, a final trial.  There is also a small pot of gold hidden under a flagstone in the floor of the pool (60 gp.)

Reconsecrating the shrine can be done by any Neutral cleric (druid) of Althea, Haerne the Hunter, or Daenica the Forest Maiden.  Doing this will make the sprites immediately grateful, and they will be forthcoming with information on how to pass the trials and unlock the grate.  They will also tell them about the hidden pot with gold inside the reflecting pool.

Making the shrine holy again will partly weaken the corruption in this Barrow, resulting in an easier encounter with the shadows of Queen Beltis and her Amazon guards in Room 9.  No encountered undead or shadows can enter the shrine’s area from this point on.

Room 8: Amazon Trials

These are five, separate areas connected to the Shrine of Althea (Room 7.)  Each one of these is a separate trial, inspired by those a young Amazon must go through to earn her place among her warrior sisters.  Completing one of these unlocks one of five locks in the reflecting pool in Room 7.  The trials are as follows:

8a. Trial of the Swift Hare: When PCs step 10 feet ahead in this hallway, blades and spears will begin to strike out out from the walls sequentially in 10-foot increments.  Unless they sprint at twice their movement speed or more, they will need to save against breath or suffer 1d6 damage from the blades.  To sprint, a character must succeed at a Constitution check or become unable to keep up the speed (normal movement speed.)  In addition, character is exhausted as if they had not stopped to rest after an hour of exploration.

 If the sprites are hostile to the PCs, they will try to swarm and delay their progress (as they can easily dodge the blades; -2 to the check.)

At the end of a hall is a plinth with a stone carved in the likeness of an Amazon’s face.  Pressing it stops the blades and opens one of the five locks in Room 7.  

8b. Trial of the Leaping Doe: This area is separated by a 10-ft. long pit.  PCs must make a running jump to try to reach the other side.  This requires a Strength check which, if successful, allows the player to leap 2d6 feet plus their character level.

Failing the check, or not clearing the required distance results in having to make a saving throw against breath to hold on to a ledge: if the PC failed the Strength check, it is the closest ledge; if they made it, it is the farthest ledge.  Otherwise, they fall into the 10-ft. deep pit (1d6 damage) with a spike-filled, iron grate at the bottom (1d8+2 damage.)  Below the grate is the watery tunnel that leads to Beltis' Tomb (Room 9.)

If the sprites are hostile to the PCs, they will try to trip them with string or otherwise attempt to disrupt their way across (+2 penalty to the check.)

Once a PC has made it past the pit, they can push a stone carved in the likeness of an Amazon’s face on the wall.  It closes the pit with a second grate and unlocks one of the five locks in Room 7.

8c. Trial of the Graceful Crane: the way to the next area is separated by a longer pit with jutting stone columns about foot or less wide.  To make their way across, PCs must balance on the tops of the columns as if they were stepping stones, albeit with the added danger of a deadly fall.  This requires a Dexterity check.  If unsuccessful, the PC must save against breath to hold on to the column they fell from.  Otherwise, they fall into the 20-ft. deep pit for 2d6 damage.

Any hostile sprites will try to disrupt the PC’s balance to cause them to drop into the pit (+2 penalty to the Dexterity check.)

Once a PC has made it past they, they can push a stone carved in the likeness of an Amazon’s face on a plinth.  It causes more columns to come up from the pit, forming a bridge through, and unlocks one of the five locks in Room 7.

d. Trial of the Hawk’s Eye: The way to the door on the next side is separated by a stone wall with three, small holes, about a fist wide each.  There is also a door without any knob, handle, or lock next to them.  Beyond the wall are three, bronze targets at different distances (30 ft., 80 ft., and 120 ft.)  There are racks of short bows, arrows, and spears on the wall, covered in cobwebs.

PCs must hit each of the three targets through the small holes in the wall, which requires a to-hit roll at -4 against armor class (AC) 9 [10.]  Once all three targets are hit, the door on the wall opens.  Inside is a plinth with a stone carved in the likeness of an Amazon’s face.  Pressing it opens one of the five locks in Room 7.

Hostile sprites will try to disrupt the character’s aim (additional -2 to hit,) snap/cut bow strings, or the like.

A magic-user could feasibly hit any one of the targets with a magic missile, and the game master (GM) should feel free to grudgingly give the stink eye to that crafty player.

8e. Trial of the Bear Mother: This area features a stone circle with about a 15-ft. radius.  There are racks with various one-handed melee weapons, spears, and shields on the wall, covered in cobwebs.

Inside the circle is a statue of husky and muscular Amazon woman.  Entering the circle causes the statue to come to life, take up her sword and shield (which are real,) and fight the PC.  If the PC enters unarmed, the statue will instead drop its sword and shield and wrestle the character.  To wrestle, a successful hit allows a hold, while a successful hit from the opponent breaks it.  After a successful hold, the character can deal 1d3 plus Strength bonus damage the following round, and every round they are able to maintain the hold thereafter.  The statue deals 1d3+2 damage due to its strength.

Amazon Statue: AL N; AC 2 [17]; HD 3 (HP 16); MV 90 ft. (30 ft.); ATK 1d6+2 (short sword) or 1d3+2 (wrestling); SP: +1 or better weapons to destroy; SV: F3; ML 12.

If more than one PC steps into the circle, additional, Amazon shadows (one per PC) will emerge to even the odds a bit for the unsporting party.

Although the statue cannot actually be harmed by normal weapons, reducing it to 0 HP with normal weapons results in the PC gaining the upper hand such as a deadly hit to what would otherwise be a vital area, or pinning the statue in a wrestling hold.  The statue then ceases the attack, bows to the PC and steps into the center of the circle, becoming still once again.  The statue’s weight on the central area causes one of the five locks in Room 7 to unlock.  Alternatively, if the PCs mange to destroy the statue, the weight of its parts can also activate the central area.

Hostile sprites will try to sabotage the PC duelist with everything from cruel jeers, to attacking at their flanks, or turning any normal weapons into useless and hilarious things, like bananas, for example.
 

Room 9: Queen Beltis’ Tomb

The watery tunnel below the Shrine of Althea (Room 7) surfaces at a second reflecting pool above, which is at the entrance of Queen Beltis’ tomb chamber.  Amazon warrior caryatids guard the way to a stairway that rises to the Queen’s sarcophagus above.

As PCs approach the dais, the shadows of the Queen and her guards will emerge and attack.  They are silhouettes of the caryatids, including the outlines of spears and shields, while the Queen herself wields two, shadowy swords.  They attempt to surprise the characters, say nothing, and give no quarter.

Queen Beltis’ Shadow: AL C; AC 6 [13]; HD 4+2 (HP 24); MV 90 ft. (30 ft.); ATK 1d4+2/1d4+2; SP: Strength drain, 5-in-6 surprise; SV: F4; ML 12.

Amazon Shadows (x8): HP 13, 8, 15, 6, 14, 9, 7, 13

If the PCs have reconsecrated the Shrine of Althea (Room 7,) they will receive divine aid against the shadows.  Random beams of green light will emerge from the ceiling every round - one in a cardinal direction from each PC (roll 1d8.)  The shadows will try to avoid the green light if they’re able, and if struck with it, it will reveal their corporeal (albeit rotted) forms.  While exposed to the light, they are vulnerable to normal weapons and suffer a -1 to hit rolls.

The Queen awaits.

 Even if the shadows are defeated, they will return by the next turning of the moon unless the Shrine to Althea is reconsecrated.

Within Queen Beltis’ sarcophagus are her remains, along with her treasures.  Taking any of these after defeating the shadows would not be considered a desecration, as it is custom for Amazons who are defeated honorably in battle to give up their arms or some other valuable trophy to their victor.  It includes the following:

• Urns full of coins: 1,700 gp, 2,500 sp, 2,500 pp
• A gold signet ring etched with a lioness rampant within the Seal of Alakstra and inlaid with gems (700 gp)
• Gold and silver pendant earrings with aquamarines and pearls surrounded by Northern runes (330 gp,) along with matching necklace (600 gp)
• Golden arm torcs with emerald and ruby dragons (525 gp each)
• A gold wedding band etched with intricate knotting and small diamonds (1300 gp)  
• Golden arm bracelets inlaid with mithral images of Amazons and their goddess, along with jade moons (700 gp each)
• A silver, gem encrusted diadem (1500 gp)
• Beltis’ two short swords: Diamond which is a +2 short sword, and Echo, a +1 short sword that allows or an additional attack roll on a natural roll of 20.
• A hand-sized bronze plaque, like others found in the Barrows, embossed with the image of a lioness rampant (“Lioness.”)  This plaque is required to solve the puzzle in Room 14.

Room 10: To the Final Barrow

Beyond Beltis’ tomb is the entrance to the Barrow of the King.  There are a number of dead humanoids (mostly gobb-men and baern-men) near it, with twisted expressions of horror still present on their deformed faces.  The entrance seems to have been broken, but then barricaded from the opposite side.  These humanoids originated from the Temple of the Snake Cult and have tunneled to the Barrows.  They beat a hasty retreat after encountering Beltis’ shadow, and then barred the way.  The barricade can be easily destroyed with tools within 1d6 turns.

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.