UPPER DUNGEONS LEVEL TWO 89 THE GOOD KNIGHT'S REPOSE.

89 THE GOOD KNIGHT'S REPOSE. This room holds thirteen skeletal remains. Twelve of the bodies belonged to ghouls, they have curved spines, prognathous skulls with enlarged canines, and clawed hands. They surround the skeleton of a knight in chain mail.

The last skeleton is actually a restless dead. He is Varun Daris, a paladin of Adriel who entered the dungeon with his six retainers in order to try to rid the Castle of evil. He was attacked by a host of ghouls and defeated them, but then succumbed to his wounds. His piety and his special silver holy symbol prevented him from becoming a ghoul himself. Instead he rose as a restless dead and his retainers became the skeletons in Room 88.

Varun Daris, Lawful Good Restless Dead (AC 5; MV 9”; HD 4+3; hp 17; #AT 1; D Two handed sword +1; SD Sharp weapons score half damage only, limited spell immunity; XP 215)

Varun will slowly stand up if adventurers enter the room, their intrusion having awoken him. He can speak, but it will take him another round or so to remember how. His voice is a croaking rasp that sounds like wind from beyond the grave. Once he is fully risen, he will realize his goal: to slay evil creatures, especially undead and ghouls in particular. He can be talked into joining an adventuring party if they convince him that they have the same or similar goals.

If Varun Daris does join the party, he will bring any surviving skeletons from Room 88 to serve him. He will accompany the party as long as they remain underground and seem dedicated to fighting evil, but will part ways with them if they leave the dungeons in order to continue his crusade.

Varun has the same immunities as normal skeletons. He can be turned as if he was a 4th level paladin, but not in this room. He no longer has any paladin special abilities but he has a special “detect undead” ability that will allow him to know if a certain path will lead him directly to undead creatures. The ability will only work if the path leads directly to undead (no branching paths between Varun and the undead). Varun cannot tell what type of undead he is sensing, but can get a feeling of strength. For example, liches, ghosts, and vampires will give a very strong impression, while skeletons and zombies will give a very faint impression. About his neck he wears an iron chain and a special silver amulet that is also a holy symbol of Adriel. The amulet is worth 1000 gold crescents and it has the ability to prevent its wearer from rising as an undead creature if slain by undead.