[Bitter Moors] Landrel Barrow

Landrel Barrow

“Landrel Barrow is a large earth mound the size of a small hill in the March of Couronne. It is artificial and has a large stone gateway set in the side. Light never seems to penetrate far, and a chilling cold always radiates from it.

Every few years, though the precise time seems to be random, an army of skeletons and zombies marches out of the barrow. They follow the same route every time and completely ignore anyone who leaves them alone. As there are 4,373 of them (they ignored one scholar so much he was able to make an accurate count), most nobles are willing to ignore them. The few who are not meet bad ends, unless their friends can restrain them.

Many groups of adventurers have investigated the barrow. Most have come back, reporting finding nothing but a few cold and empty stone tunnels under the hill. One group found an undisturbed burial chamber, lost one man to the Wight lairing there, and emerged with some treasure. Some groups, however, have simply failed to emerge.”

KotG p.70

The Barrow is rightfully deemed cursed by the people of the Bitter Moors. They avoid going to its vicinity if possible but some brave the hazard of undead to gather Caper herbs (used to kill fleas) and Juniper berries (used as painkillers).

Some also come here to search scrap metal on the Pathway of the Dead as they call it. As a part of some long-forgotten adulthood rite young men and women of the Moors would come to see the March of the Dead. They would carry white stones gathered from the shores of Manaansport Sea and track to way of the dead with them. Walking between the stones is a sure way to catch the evil eye but some are either too daring or too stupid to care.

The Pathway extends from the Barrow towards the sea but end abruptly. Those few who have witnessed the March say that once they cross the last stones they simply vanish in thin air.

At the end of 25th century some locals made a quick fortune by luring daring adventurers to the Barrow. A young woman would offer herself as the guide to the Barrow. Once inside the other would roll large boulder to close the opening. The guide would wriggle herself through a narrow slit in the Barrow’s side leaving the adventurer inside to starve.

It is unknown how the locals operated the heavy boulder but its remains are still lying beside the doorway. As the story goes the bandits trapped an Imperial Wizard inside the Barrow. She blasted the boulder into two pieces and nothing was ever heard of the bandits again.

Inside the Barrow narrow passage ways slither into the dark and cold earth. Tiny streams of water drip through stone here and there sometimes form pools that glow ominously. There are strange, ancient carvings on the walls that no-one has been able to decipher. Some even claim that there are runes that could be deduced to be of Norscan origin, suggesting that the Barrow might very well be the resting place of an ancient army of Chaos marauders. The sightings of the March of the Dead usually support this notion.