More Chambers from Level Two

 A Caarth Guardpost (#2/31; #61/365)

"This small chamber may once have been a tomb but is now comprehensively looted, and a pile of broken sarcophagi, stonework and statuary is piled up in front of the other exit, forming a barricade of sorts. An arrow-head protrudes from a slit in the barricade, and a loud voice hisses: "Who goe-th there?!?"

Contents: A small colony of Caarth have established themselves in the second level of the Tombs; their leader having researched the same legends as Espereth (see #29) concerning the artefact known as the Hammer of Bisu, and wishes to acquire it for the Caarth. Beyond this guardpost are the rest of the Caarths' lair. The Caarth guard can communicate in its own language, Desert Nomad, and broken Allansian, but cannot be bribed, and will attack if the Heroes are hostile or attempt to bypass the barricade.

All Caarth are members of various competing religious orders however, and a canny scholar may exploit the differences between the cults and sects to foment strife among the Caarth, though this will take excellent Caarth language skills and probably some use of magic. For more information on the Caarth, see Out of the Pit (p. 24) and Titan (pp. 86-89).

Stats: 

CAARTH GUARD: SKILL 10, STAMINA 11, Scimitar, Longbow and Quiver full of Arrows, Medium Armour (lightweight metal and leather cuirass), Brass Whistle (will blow if threatened; summons 1-6 more CAARTH GUARDS)

The Caarth's weapons are poisoned with contact venom; they add +1 to the Damage Roll.

The Caarth has 1d6 GP on them. To determine their cult allegiance, roll one die:

1. Xiarga: Horned Serpent of Chaos. Symbol: Blue Bat-Winged Serpent

2. S'hghkull: Father God of the Caarth. Symbol: Silver Cobra

3. Sith: Snake Demon Lord of all Caarth. Symbol: Golden Cobra

4. Vermistra: Snake Goddess. Symbol: Red Cobra

5. H'ssghkull: Mother Goddess of the Caarth. Symbol: Golden Viper

6. Trabaten: Dark Lord of Torture and Exenteration. Symbol: Bloody Knife

The symbol of the Caarth's chosen god usually takes the form of (roll another die); 

1-3. Small tattoo inscribed onto their upper arm scales

4-6. Token effigy that they wear around their neck, and is worth 1-6GP.

The Prey-Gathering Chamber (#3/31; #62/365)

"This is a bare-walled stone chamber with a sand-covered floor. A single exit lies in the opposite wall, directly ahead of you."

Contents: This chamber contains several traps designed to capture random denizens for a herd of Sand Stalkers who dwell further inside the Tombs. The traps are collapsible cages hidden under the sand; stepping on one requires the victim to Test their LUCK or be trapped inside the cage as it folds up around them. The cage bars are lined with poison-tipped spikes; anyone inside also takes 1-6 STAMINA damage and passes out for 10-60 minutes. There are three traps in total; one in front of each exit, and one in the centre of the chamber. 1-3 SAND STALKERS (SKILL 8, STAMINA 7, Poison-tipped Sword or Spear (Test your LUCK or unconscious for 10-60 minutes), Light Armour) periodically check the traps several times a day. Sand Stalkers are a type of new monster resembling scrawny, camel-headed humanoids, to be further detailed later, and they originally appeared in The Demon Spider, by Ian Livingstone.

Breaking out of the trap requires a successful Strength Special Skill test; the victim suffers an addition 1-6 STAMINA points damage from the spikes, but the poison will have become ineffective by this time and will not cause unconsciousness. Trap victims who are rendered senseless and abandoned by their comrades will be stripped of all possessions (which will end up in the Sand Stalker's secret cache), and then sold to the Fighting Pit of Azgrul (to be described) as arena-bait.