323

‘Follow me, my lords!’ shouts Foilan, as he spurs his black mare along a narrow, cobblestoned street that wends its way through Tyso’s shabby North Quarter. At a junction close by the city’s main stables, he turns into an avenue that leads to the West Arch of the Old Necropolis.

When the Arch is less than a hundred yards distant, Foilan brings his horse to a halt, and you rein in your steed beside him. Several dozen guards and rangers have gathered at the Arch, and they have erected a barricade which completely blocks the entrance to the burial ground beyond. The Reeve-lieutenant tells you to wait here with your men while he goes forward to inform the guards of the situation and to tell them that you and your companions are not Kai impostors.

Patiently you wait for Foilan to complete his task. Then, on seeing his signal, you move forward and join him at the Western Arch. He shouts an order, and hurriedly the guards pull aside a wagon which blocks the entrance, enabling the five of you to dismount and proceed into the necropolis on foot.

Aided by the moonlight, you lead your party along a gravelled path towards the centre of the burial ground, to where a tunnel-like opening has been excavated in the side of a mossy mound. On arriving at this shadowy entrance you stop to examine the surrounding area, to check for any clues that may help you track your quarry. You find no fresh prints, and you sense no lingering aura of an evil that could betray his presence. Confident that it is safe to proceed, you enter the mound and lead your comrades down a wide stone ramp to an oval-shaped chamber. A dozen stone coffins, each carved with the likeness of its occupant, are laid out in a circle like the spokes of a wheel. The chamber is cold and unwelcoming, but it does not harbour any trace of evil. You are sure that the impostor has not set foot here.

On the far side of the burial chamber, opposite the ramp, there is a stairwell which descends deep into the catacombs below the necropolis. You go down these stairs until you come to a landing where a passage crosses from north to south. Black Hawk suggests that the party split in two and explore both ways, but you are not in favour of this idea. Splitting the party would make it easier for the impostor if he chose to launch an ambush. You peer along both passages and draw on your Grand Master skills to determine the best route to follow, but with little success. Neither passage looks especially inviting.

If you decide to enter and explore the north passage, turn to 275.

If you choose to investigate the south passage, turn to 107.