Warren of Crown and Compass | NGS Expedition Report

[Adstrom 547]

REPORT

 

OF

 

THE EXPLORATION CORPS EXPEDITION

 

INTO

 

THE WARREN OF CROWN AND COMPASS

 

IN THE YEAR 147 S.A.

A charcoal illustration of the Aedui chief meditating before a great tree.

 

BY

 

THE IRON BARON, VINCENTE VON DISTRUGERE,

OF DISTRUGESTADT,

 

UNDER THE NORTHERN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 

The expedition began close to Chambery’s own port, a mere handful of furlongs from the back gate of Petra. It was there, by the great cliffs of the looming memory tree, that the warrior chieftain and our source of information Averemix was found meditating amidst an overlook. 

 

Though I shall not spend much time to dwell on the many insights given to us by Averemix of his culture and the indigenous tribes of the Aedui and Godwini, that information was transcribed efficiently by the good gnome Merfizannib Miminendilpigglegeggle, for any whom would wish to observe it. 

 

What I shall instead focus my attention upon is the relic gifted to us by the warrior chieftain himself and the discoveries which it led to. A small metallic bowl, or so he had claimed, which we soon discovered thereafter was a compass from which the needle had been crudely extracted long ago. Thankfully, due to the diligence of Signora Elizabeth Brae, the leader of such an expedition, we were able to swiftly repair it with a new indicator, sacrificed solemnly by her own personally issued NGS exploratory apparatus. 

A recreation of the compass.

At once, granted new life, the metallic pointer whirled Eastward, instead of North. Immediately we detected that it was indeed altered, leading to some place of mystery rather than true directional attunement. Naturally, we set off to follow its whims in accordance.  

 

After a long trek through the plains of the East and its many kingdoms of man, we came to a stop at a large decrepit chapel of stone. Within it, there was a series of renowned religious busts, in addition to inscriptions of faded Flexio. I made attempts to translate them, but time was not on my side. Were I to guess with what I now know of the dangers within, I would make an educated assumption that it warns something akin to the following: 

HIC IACET CAPTIONEM, HERE LIES TRAPS.

 

 

𝄞

A sketch of the explorers entering the labyrinth.

 

These words guarded a narrow tunnel downward into what we soon discovered to be a rather tricky labyrinth, forgotten to all but us at that moment. As explorers do, we wasted little time before treading forth into that great expanse of the unknown. Like figures of folklore, we used a coil of rope and the light of a torch to guide our way through the maze, much to little avail. For what felt like hours we wandered and roamed in circles, desperately seeking the slightest change in jagged rock that might denote something further awaiting beyond. 

 

It was most certainly a perilous place, designed to best an amateur adventurer. Fortunately, none in attendance were burdened with such inadequacy. I personally located a dim source of light and made the decision to rappel into it with caution. Buried below a deep alluring canyon of possibility, I descended by rope, only to discover a glistening stalagmite spiked and ready at the bottom to impale a lesser man. DISTRUGERE knows of no such fate and made swift return to safe ground. 

 

Following this, and much more time lost, I happened upon a low passageway where a large chasm awaited on the other side. It was bordered by rigid columns of crumbling foundation and bore two in the center of the gap where one would need to navigate with great displays of athleticism and care in traveling from one side to the other. Calling the others to me, I made the preparations to do so.

 

 

𝄞

A Distrugebot’s rendition of the Baron surveying the chasm.

 

Of course, DISTRUGERE was up to the task. I cleared the gap with ease, and Signora Brae used her arcanic prowess to join me soon in the wake, maintaining her magic for a swift escape should it become necessary. Before us there was a large chest, its hinges rusted with age and wear. However, as always, I had come with all the possibilities formulated. Taking a large pouch, I filled its brim with loose rock and gravel nearby, readying it in hand to make a swift swap, lest a rigged trap be sprung. With practiced precision and brevity I heaved the compartment open, claimed what was within, and replaced it with the sack. Silence followed, for it had worked. I leapt back across, and Signora Brae blinked through the Void. 

 

What I had seized was a pair of keys. Both were rusted, one beyond recognition. I resolved to repair the broken tool in my spare time and transferred the usable one to Elizabeth for safekeeping. 

 

A recreation of the key.

We were further plagued by a watery dead man’s end that Merf was brave enough to dive into, though it resulted in little save the loss of breath and the dampening of good garments. Determining that we had conquered all there was to see here, we returned to the surface to plot out our next move. 

 

It was then that another lead was remembered, of the position of an ancient barrow belonging to the Godwini on the outskirts of Aaun. This is what had spurred our expedition altogether, and where it would find its end. 

 

Hours passed as we traversed into the Valley of Kings, a tranquil meadow embedded in betwixt a cascading volley of rolling ridges. Barrows surrounded us on all sides, nestled amidst the crooks of the mountains. Many were empty, some were not, but we explored each that was found.

An etching of the Valley.

 

Of the tombs that were discovered, only one is worth mentioning - though it has earned that right greatly. In the final catacomb we searched, a locked sarcophagus of wood fit the rusted key we had claimed. Within, it had concealed an entombed ruler, a skeleton most grandiose. To our surprise, a withered relic devised of sapphires, gold, and pearls rested atop the skull, which was soon realized to belong to the Once-King Alwyn of Aaun, the Mer-King, son of Horen II. This brought about a conclusion to our endeavors for the day. Having achieved much, the explorers and I returned to the Port for celebration.

 

There have since been talks with the people of Aaun, so that the crown might be laid to display in its home, where it belongs: within a museum.

Spoiler

A recreation of the crown, with splashes of dye.

 

 

THE IRON BARON, VINCENTE VON DISTRUGERE