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Thinking about a tombs of monarchs, and others of wealth and power, that have the ugly tendency to get looted, I came up with this:
A relatively cheap “trap” could be a simple corpse. Not just any corpse, mind you, but one that has died from some highly infective disease. Simply include the body (bodies) in an entry hallway, or some easy to access room where thieves are likely to enter/break in. Optionally equip it with some treasure, to make them search it and contract the disease.
Don’t forget the death curse, it looks much better!
While infected corpses in their very own grave may conflict a bit with afterlife or personal preferences, they should mostly work:
- germs can stay active for a long time (though people may not know about it)
- diseases that were overcome (or survived…) centuries or millenia ago may be still dangerous to the people. Even if the hardy adventurers survive, or simply cast that Cure Disease spell (sic!), they may carry the “Black Pest” with them… talk of a major campaign modifier. And don’t forget to pursue madly the culprits that unleashed the curse of Rhudolf the Vengeful…
- maybe all that live now are descendants of those that survived the pest, and are immune. Just think of the minor flu one character develops, and it turns lethal for a people/race that arrived after the plague was overcome!
November 4, 2005, 20:05
November 22, 2005, 18:18
November 23, 2005, 4:07
2) You wouldn't want to have a great treasure without a death curse, would you? :)
Rumours have rarely been an effective protection, someone always makes a try if there are riches untold. But even if the thiefs survive, an epidemy could limit further attempts at robbing. (If there are more such tombs...) This trap has a very Egyptian feeling to me.
Thanks for the comment.
January 31, 2006, 10:15
So if you use this, be the evil monarch and include the personal items and clothing - it will be all the more effective.
January 31, 2006, 8:17
As you commented it has a nice Egyptian feel to it - He who disturbs my eternal rest shall bring Death and Corruption upon himself and his kin, even unto the third and fourth generations
Definitely up to your usual standards - 4/5
October 26, 2007, 16:34
Which means something that we already know - that tombs can be dangerous - but it's a nice reminder. Hence, weak people entering a tomb (or, say, wounded while fighting something) can have health issues afterwards, or even die, without any curse or magic at all.
In a fantasy world, even more dangerous funghi may exist, and magic could make them even more potent. In either case you'll get the death curse.