Forest of Wyndmoor Part 4: Ancient Temple
What is waiting for us in the depths of this ancient temple?!
Welcome back everyone for the fourth installment of The Forests of Wyndmoor. This week we’re getting started exploring the ancient temple that’s been exposed thanks to some fallen rocks. I’m working a side project that I’m hoping will be finished soon. It’s a guide to using Cartomancy for narrative storytelling, specially in fantasy style table top role playing games. Currently 150 pages and growing.
This week I’m introducing some aspects of playing cards where I’m using randomly pulled, individual cards to determine the chances of an encounter and other details. Each card has its own chances of encounters, wondering monsters, hidden doors and other secrets, along with chances for traps a small chance of finding stairs. Each of these is listed along with 14 other descriptors that break down every card that can help drive a role playing experience.
Let’s get right into it and see what happens.
The Forests of Wyndmoor Part 4: Ancient Temple
Nearly filled up on gooseberries, I head right in through the crack in the wall. There’s enough light pouring in from a small hole above that I can clearly see the left leads up and around a corner and to the right is a wooden door, towards which I start walking simply out of instinct.
There is less debris present on the stone floor as I approach the door, indicating the area has been frequented quite often. The door itself looks out of place and quite a bit newer than expected. Listening at the door, I swear that I hear a female voice; however, it’s fading as if they are traveling away from the room opposite.
Is the door locked? (D20 = 3): No, it’s not locked.
Is the door trapped? - 3 of Spades (35% chance) D100 = 45): No, it’s not trapped.
Chance of Stairs 15%: D100 = 13.
“… a bit too easy if you ask me.”
My suspicions raised, I test the knob and listen closely as I turn it. The door clicks and slides open slightly, pushed by cool air, and the smell of candle flames pours through the gap. The door feels heavy, thicker than I anticipated, as I pull it towards myself just enough to allow me to squeeze through.
(3 of Clubs = 45% chance of an encounter) No Encounter.
Another small hole from above lets in sunlight from outside and reveals a worn stone stairway leading upward into a hallway heading west, with walls on all other sides.
This area is heavy with spirits. I can feel them standing it the darkness waiting for me to pass so that they can go about with their business. Atop the staircase is a single protruding stone that has pierced the stone floor. The stone is covered in webs, and large spider eggs. Past the stone of webs is an archway with flickering light just on the other side of it. I stop and listen for quite some time, but I am only greeted by silence and the smell of candle wax.
Silently, I creep past the archway and stand quietly in the darkness, taking in the room. Just ahead lies a single table with a few rolls of paper. Along the side, there are two bookshelves similar to the ones back at the cabin, filled with books, jars of liquid, and various rolled papers. Across from the current archway lies another archway, this one leading down into the dark.
The room certainly appears to have been used recently. The candles are still lit, the books on the shelves are well-preserved, and there appears to be a recently used healing potion sitting on the edge of the table. The smell of familiar herbs triggers my memory as I pass the open bottle across my nose.
(Pulling card: Jack of Spades)
(JOS = 85% chance of an encounter): Encounter.
Before I can take a closer look at anything, yelling can be heard from the darkness beyond the unexplored archway. I toss the book in my hand at the table and run toward the dark half of the room, preparing myself as I pass into the darkness and work my way down the stairs.
As I descend, the yells grow louder—frustrated and panicked. At the bottom, I glimpse the figure of a woman, crouched in defense, her hand glowing with some magical energy. She’s in a fierce battle with a skeleton wielding a bow, the bone warrior moving with the precision of an experienced archer.
She must have retreated here after a fight deeper in the temple, and it looks like this skeleton followed her up. The woman, clearly exhausted, is using some spell to keep the skeleton at bay, but she’s losing ground.
For a moment, I stand frozen, deciding whether to intervene. I take a deep breath, nock an arrow, and take aim at the skeleton’s head. Just as it releases an arrow toward her, I let my own fly. My arrow strikes the skeleton, sending its shot wide as its skull shatters and the rest of its body crumbles into a heap.
The woman, still catching her breath, locks eyes with me. There’s a flash of anger, as if she resents the help. She pushes herself up, brushing dirt off her robes, and gives me a curt nod, but no thanks. She seems confident, cunning—the forest witch who owns the cabin, perhaps. But she gives me no chance to ask. Instead, she storms past the pile of bones and continues deeper into the temple, vanishing into the shadows and taking the light with her.
The room goes dark as I fumble about for a torch and flint. Double back up and into the light I stop and hesitate for a moment.
(Pulling card: 7 of Diamonds = Decision-making point)
I decide to follow her. The temple seems far more dangerous than I anticipated and as of this moment, my curiosity is locked in. Just then the black disc rumbles to life and begins to vibrate.
“Huh… this place must have something to do with why I’m here. Not to mention, she might need some assistance down here.“
I step carefully into the corridor, the shadows lengthening as the light from my torch flickers. The air feels colder here, heavy with the weight of something ancient and waiting.
As I follow her path, I come across another door. This one looks much older, its wood weathered and its frame carved with strange symbols.
Is it trapped?
(Pulling card: 10 of Clubs = 70% chance of trap)
D100 = 65. Yes, it’s trapped.
I kneel and examine the door closely. Sure enough, there’s a faint line etched around the frame, barely visible, however it’s certainly waxed. It’s reflects a bit of light from my torch revealing itself to me. The trap appears to be rigged to release a flood of arrows or spears as evident by the holes in stones above my head. I can either try to disarm it or find another way through.
(D20 = 16. I manage to disarm the trap.)
Carefully, I disable the mechanism, jamming the trigger and rendering the trap useless. With a soft sigh of relief, I push the door open and step into the room beyond.
Inside, the air is thick with dust, and the remnants of ancient furniture are scattered about. In the far corner is a strange, glowing object, pulsing faintly with light.
(Pulling card: Ace of Diamonds = a discovery of wealth or knowledge)
The object, an old stone tablet, seems to hum with energy. As I approach, I can make out symbols carved into its surface—ancient writing, perhaps a lost language. This could be important, a key to unlocking some mystery within the temple.
I carefully stow the tablet in my pack and turn back toward the hallway, the weight of its secrets now with me. But the witch, wherever she’s gone, still lingers in my thoughts. I need answers, and it seems like the only way I’m going to get them is by confronting her.
—
That brings us to the end of this week’s adventure. Next time, we’ll dive deeper into the temple and see where this mysterious witch has gone. Will she be friend or foe? Will the tablet reveal more about the temple’s past?
I hope everyone is doing amazing. I know I’ve got some catching up to do as far as reading goes. It’s been a busy few weeks. Take care of yourselves and each other and I’ll see you next week.