Building Name: Velsharoon's Shrine
Submitted By: Hargrid Tenslayer
Building Type: 1 story stone house and underground tunnel
Business Conducted: Officially a private house.
Owner: Ulric "The Necromaster" (hm, Sp7 of Velsharoon [Necrophant], NE)
Building Description:
The shrine of Velsharoon appears to be no more than a stone house a short walk from Arylon. It is located directly north of the city proper and faces the Fields of the Dead. It is surrounded by a large garden and various trees. The trees provide enough shade to make a hot day tolerable.
The house itself is constructed from granite blocks and stands only one story high. It consists of three small rooms: Ulric's bedroom, a kitchen/dining area, and a room to keep miscellaneous items, like his gardening tools, books on the city and the history of the area, and so on. The kitchen contains a fireplace, a few pots, eating utensils, and a small wooden table, as well as having a broom in the north east corner. The bedroom is bare, save Ulric's bed, a few clothing hooks, and a bath basin.
At the foot of his bed, is a secret trap door (concealed with a rug and a chest) which opens to reveal a staircase leading 20 feet down underground. This staircase ends in a hallway with nine doors, four on each side of the hallway, and one at the far end. The hallway is very well-built and kept in the best repair. The first two doors on either side of the hallway lead to crypts, each containing six corpses, all dressed as though they would have come from a funeral (nice clothing, mostly black but a few scarlet colors). The crypts are unremarkable, and no name plates have been attached to the dead. These corpses are actually zombies, under the control of Ulric. Preservation spells have been placed on these corpses to keep them in perfect condition for when they are needed.
- Magical wards have been placed throughout this lower level by a mage ally of the church. These are tied to the zombies, so they will become active if any of the following occur:
- - Someone attempts to damage any part of the complex.
- - Someone comes down the staircase who is not of evil alignment.
- - Anyone attempts to damage the zombies.
- - Anyone attempts to enter the library, or the laboratory, without Ulric.
- - By the direct verbal command of Ulric.
- - Someone comes down the staircase who is not of evil alignment.
- The zombies will return to the crypts only if the threat has been neutralized, or by direct verbal command from Ulric.
The next door on either side of the hallway leads to a living area that can comfortably hold up to eight people per room. These living quarters are not remarkable in any way.
The last door on the right contains a small library. It contains only four bookcases, two of which are only roughly half full. The first of these contain all the laboratory notes of both Ulric and his parents. The other holds Ulric's journal which is only sporadically updated. The other two bookshelves contain a large number of books. These include works pertaining to death, the dead, and the undead, including a tome detailing all known types of undead, their creation, strengths, and weaknesses, penned by Ulric himself.
The Laboratory is filled with a dissection table and various dissecting instruments. It's main use is when Ulric takes apart various creatures to "find what makes them tick".
The actual shrine is the largest room in the building, capable of holding 20 people. The altar is constructed of obsidian, and on it rest 2 adult bloodstone plants which Ulric takes excellent care of as they are considered holy to the faith. Also on the altar is a tome detailing all of the rites of the church of Velsharoon as performed by those in the Skull Gorge, and all of the stories of Velsharoon's glory and ascension to power. The wall behind the altar has a massive symbol of Velsharoon carved into it. Also in this shrine, are eight crawling claws (as per the spell in P&P) that will attack anyone who defaces the shrine, or by Ulric's command.
Business Conducted:
The shrine serves as a place for acolytes to be sent from the Crypt of the Arisen Army to receive rudimentary training in the rites of the church, as well as to study under Ulric in the sciences of Anatomy and Necrology. These acolytes usually come in small groups, and take great care not be seen when entering or leaving the area. The shrine also serves as a place where people of the church can stop and offer praises to Velsharoon before venturing on to the Fields of the Dead.