Lore24 Feb 4: The Sarcophagus of Yillim

For the past two hundred years the Sarcophagus of Yillim has been housed deep in the caves of the mountains outside Satnak. It’s a huge stone structure, almost two meters tall and about four meters long. It is decorated with numerous carvings of people and animals traveling to see a creature with a humanoid body, but with the head of an unidentifiable animal. The identity of this figure has long been the subject of speculation among sorcerers and mystics. The priests of the temple of Kuthur have a few partially damaged tablets that suggests his name is Yillim, but nothing more is known.

The Sarcophagus is enchanted with strange magic. If someone lies down in it, they wither and die in a matter of minutes. However, if someone lies down in it with a corpse, the corpse will turn to dust, and the person will find themselves larger, stronger, faster, and more intelligent than before. Their eyes will also take on a strange yellow tint. After a few months, people changed this way start to develop an aversion to sunlight. As they withdraw from the light, their hide toughens, then transforms into chitinous plates. They also start to grow additional limbs, some adapted for digging, some seemingly just enormous blades of chitin. At last the subjects start to yearn to return to the caves, and become violent if prevented from doing so. Those who succeed, disappear into the caves, never to be seen again.

Currently the Sarcophagus is considered cursed, and a small number of guards chosen by the temples is stationed permanently in front of its chamber to prevent anyone from using it. There are rumors, however, that a few well-placed (and sufficiently generous) bribes may help one to access the place undisturbed.

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