L2-11. Wing of Stone — Maze of Ancestors

What this region is

The western crypt wing dedicated to Jascar (and the Suel craft-tradition under Fortubo): block-vaults, pillar grids, and load-bearing corridors where stone logic (pressure, leverage, alignment) rules. The Mortarch uses this wing as his mustering ground—quiet Ruby ghouls patrol; old Suel dead are being “reassigned” into service.

Entry/Hub: From L2-04 Processional — The Sixfold Way (west door).
Loops: Short service bends tie back toward L2-08 Beltar Pit and (via tight runs) but the public flow is a maze of corridors feeding six ante-chambers: L2-11a…f.

Tone & palette

• Nordic/Suel hybrid: heavy ashlar, long sightlines framed by squat pillars, mural panels showing oath scenes and beast-totems recast in Suel geometry.
• Light: dim, bluish reflections off pale stone; ruby vigils at nodes.
• Sound: distant stone ticks, measured drips, the hush of linen over sarcophagi.
• Scent: cold dust, resin, and the faint iron of old tools.

Region role (how to run it fast)

• Exploration maze with low-ceiling lanes (5–8 ft), offset junctions, and short crypt rooms.
• No single “boss”: this is a staging ground with rotating patrols and small set-pieces (the six ante-chambers).
• Stone logic > speech: unlike Wee Jas halls, puzzles key off weight, rhythm of steps, and alignment. Keeping the six-count pace still helps.

Regional features (common everywhere here)

• Sliding sarcophagi (stone-sleds): 400–600 lb lids on oiled skids; two creatures moving on a six-count can shift one 5 ft/round; off-beat draws a squeal (attention +1 tick).
• Oath-studs: floor-pins stamped with Jascar’s knot; pressed in six-sequence they lock a block (good for cutting off undead).
• Load whispers: tiny chalk arrows left by the Mortarch; they mark sound-carrying lanes and shortcuts for patrols.
• Totem murals: boar, eagle, serpent, bear—Skyrim-like reliefs—but rendered as Suel line-work. Pressing the matching floor tile while your ally presses the opposed (e.g., eagle vs. serpent) opens a niche or shifts a wall one square.

Standard alcove module

• Interior cavity: 8 ft long × 4 ft high × 5 ft deep.
• Stacking: banks of 2-high in main corridors; 3-high in tight side halls/ante-chambers.
• Spacing: 1 ft stone uprights between niches; 2 ft plinth at the base.
• Access: carved hand/foot holds and occasional bronze rung rails for upper tiers.
• Finish: bronze name-plate at the sill; small ruby wax dot at the brow of the shroud (Mortarch inventory).

Six-count geometry: arrange alcoves in sets of six per wall bay when you can (3×2 or 3×2×2 across corners). A tiny oath-stud at one end can “lock” a simple stone shutter (fits our regional logic).

How this changes rooms & corridors

• Perimeter first. Most walls in L2-11 corridors and 11a–f carry alcove banks; freestanding sarcophagi remain as stone-sleds for processional work and puzzles.
• Tactical use.
• A creature pressed into an empty lower alcove gains three-quarters cover while prone; half cover if crouched.
• Clambering to a second/third tier is Athletics DC 10 (advantage with rung rail). Falling from a third tier = 1d6 bludgeoning.
• Searching. One minute per niche to check; the name-plate ledger in each bay lets lore-minded PCs find specific family lines without rolling.
• Noise & sleepers. Along any 30-ft stretch of occupied alcoves, loud metal-on-stone or forcing lids: roll 1d6; on a 1, 1d2 Ruby Zombies or 1 Ruby Ghoul “wake” from that bank (once per stretch—mark it spent).
• Locks & shutters. Some alcoves have a light stone shutter slab that can be latched by pressing a nearby oath-stud in a six-sequence. Forcing a latched shutter triggers a Stone Bite slit in that lane.

Suel Crypts Swarm of Rats by 3orcs

Hazards & tricks

(region, not per-room)

• Stone Bite (pressure slit): Certain grout lines hide thin, rising blades at shin height. Trigger: running or shouting in a marked lane. DEX 13 or 2d6 slashing and speed –10 ft for 1 minute; six-count hush suppresses.
• Keystone Flex: Passage roofs in dotted spans sigh when overloaded. If three Medium creatures bunch under a marked arch, DC 13 STR or fall prone as grit hails down (no damage, loud).
• Counter-mass doors: Some doors open only if an opposite stone-sled is slid onto its oath-stud—players can learn to “pay the weight.”

Suel Crypts Ruby Work Party by 3orcs

Foes & patrol logic

Ruby Ghouls (attendants), Zombies (bone-bearers), and the occasional Ruby Custodian.

• Quiet clock: Every loud squeal or stone bite is +1 Attention. On 3+, add a Custodian & 2 ghouls sweep in 1d4 rounds.
• Patrol behavior: ghouls shove and separate—they love driving PCs into Stone Bite lanes or under Keystone Flex spans.
• Sanctuary behavior: if rites are observed (players move in cadence, use oaths, don’t desecrate), patrols watch and pass.

Rewards & resources

• Oath-nails (6): bronze spikes that hold a slid lid in place; break on a nat 1 when stressed.
• Ruby chalk (common mason’s square (gives advantage to align oath-stud presses).
• Stonebond tokens: small knotwork discs; a wearer gains advantage vs. forced movement in this region.
• Family tablets: name-plates link to treasure leads (you can tie them to your campaign lines).

Hooks for the six ante-chambers

• L2-11a “Oath of the First Stones” — family oath lock; sliding sarcophagi puzzle teaches counter-mass.
• L2-11b “Knot of Names” — totem wall pairs; opens a reliquary niche with Stonebond token.
• L2-11c “Pillar Truss” — collapse-management mini-challenge; brace three posts on a six-count to cross.
• L2-11d “The Quiet Draft” — faint wind puzzle; align vents to hush Stone Bite in a nearby lane.
• L2-11e “Conscription Bench” — Mortarch work-altar; rescueable tagged remains; proof of his musters.
• L2-11f “Ancestor Watch” — a lawful spirit that parley-tests respect; free aid if rites are kept (or it summons a Custodian).

Ledger (excerpted registry)

† Valdris’s “death” marks his embalming/entombment date; he now endures as the Ruby Mortarch.

DM use

• Treat these as name-plates on sarcophagi, wall-slabs, or bone-racks.
• Sprinkle job marks (square, anvil, skull-star, six-bars) beside names to hint which god/rite a niche belongs to.
• When players search, let a name confirm location: e.g., finding Odrik Kendoran in L2-11a telegraphs the Fortubo/Jascar flavor.
• Feel free to roll d6 per family to add extra cousins; keep ages 50–95 for humans of the era.