monster slayer

The ability to summon beings from other planes, dimensions, or—in the case of spirits and ghosts—from the very fabric of the world, holding them in our world for a limited time. Summoning isn't just magic; it's a bargain, a subjugation, or a persuasion. The summoned being has its own will, its own needs, and isn't always happy to be caged by your will.

1. Ghost King:
   A tall, majestic silhouette in a heavy robe, decayed to the point of translucent smoke. An ancient crown, slanted toward the skull, protrudes through the ghostly flesh, and two embers of cold blue fire smolder in the eye sockets.
2. Ghost Queen:
   A graceful figure in a form-fitting, ghostly dress, once embroidered with gold but now shimmering with dull silver. Her long hair flows in an invisible wind, and her face is frozen in a mask of eternal sorrow, expressing nothing but weariness.
3. Ghost Guards (Palace Guard):
   Massive figures in full armor, covered in ghostly rust and a dull shimmer. They move in unison, like a single mechanism, and beneath their visors, their faces are invisible—only impenetrable darkness.
4. Ghost Advisor:
   A hunched figure in a long, once-expensive waistcoat that now hangs on him like a sack of translucent fabric. His sharp-featured face constantly whispers silently, and his long fingers nervously fiddle with invisible scrolls.
5. Phantom Jester:
   A small, fidgety figure in a peeling cap with bells that produce not a ringing sound but a barely audible groan. His face is frozen in an unnatural smile, and his movements are jerky and twitchy, as if a puppeteer were tugging at the strings.
6. Phantom Executioner:
   A huge, hulking figure, towering a head taller than any guard, with a broad axe frozen in its ghostly hands. Over its face is a rough leather sack with slits for its eyes, from which extends a ghostly rope that disappears into nothingness.
7. Phantom Messenger:
   A swift, blurry silhouette in a short cloak that flutters even in the dead calm. He doesn't touch the floor, gliding a hand's breadth above the stone, and clutches a bundle in his hand, which he will never let go of.

This was once the lower level of an ancient dynasty's palace—the site of coronations, secret councils, and the final resting place of kings. An earthquake, war, or simply time wiped the palace off the face of the earth, but the underground section survived. It still smells of ancient luxury, now reduced to dust.

Atmosphere: Majestic desolation. Gold covered in patina. Velvet turned to dust. Mosaic floors pierced by the roots of trees growing on the surface. A silence in which it seems as if someone is watching from a throne.

Access: Hidden behind one of the panels behind the throne (or behind the statue in the tomb). The mechanism is jammed, but if you apply force or find the hidden lever (hidden in the throne's carvings), the panel will slide open with a stone-like screech.
· Size: Small round room (the last king's treasury, private office).
· Interior:
· A stone table with a map carved into its surface.
· In the wall there is a niche, covered with a decayed curtain.
· Contents (climax):
· In the niche there is a crown (not gold, but made of dull silver or blackened metal) without precious stones (they have fallen out or been picked out).
· Nearby is a scepter (a simple iron tube, once wrapped in gold).
The main find: Not the regalia themselves (they're practically worthless), but a scroll or signet ring lying beneath them. This is what the king hid this room for—a secret will, a map to a real treasure, or proof of ancient blood.

Access: Separate corridor with muted acoustics (footsteps are muffled).
· Interior:
Along the walls are stone sarcophagi with bas-reliefs of kings. The lids of some are dislodged (ancient looters were searching for valuables left with the deceased).
In the center is the largest sarcophagus, covered in a canopy of petrified wood. Above it is a life-size marble statue of the king.
Condition: The central sarcophagus is sealed. The lid has not been moved—a warning inscription in an ancient language is carved into it.
Detail: In the corner of the tomb is a skeleton covered in armor fragments. Not a king, but a robber who died here many centuries ago. Nearby is a shattered sword and an empty sack. He never took anything with him.

Access: Behind the throne, behind a heavy iron door with a broken lock.
Description: A windowless room. The walls are lined with stone safes. All the safes are open and empty.
· What's left:
In the center is a massive ebony chest with a broken lid. Inside is only decayed velvet and a single gold coin, which has rolled into a crack beneath the chest (a symbol of former greatness).
On the wall is a hook with a heavy gold chain (part of the regalia) hanging from it. The chain hasn't been removed because it's welded to the wall. It's the only thing that remains of the treasury.
· Mood: Feeling like you're a few centuries too late.

Size: A huge hall with a colonnade. The ceiling is 10–12 meters high. Above are ruined stained-glass windows facing the surface (through them, dim daylight pours, mixed with foliage).
· Interior:
· Floor - polished black slate with gold veins.
· Throne: Rising on a three-tiered pedestal, it's carved from a single piece of dark stone (obsidian?) and inlaid with tarnished gold and rubies. The back of the throne depicts outstretched wings (eagle, dragon, phoenix—depending on your story). The seat is covered with decayed cushions, leaving only a layer of dust.
Behind the throne hangs a huge royal standard on the wall. The fabric has been reduced to tatters, but the golden thread still glistens in the light of the stained-glass windows.
· Emptiness: There is no furniture, no treasures—everything has been taken away. Only the grandeur of the architecture.
Detail: On the steps in front of the throne is a dried stain (blood? wine?). If you look closely, you can see a small gilded shard—a fragment from the coronation cup—stuck in the cracks of the floor.

Description: A wide (3–4 meters) corridor with a high pointed ceiling. Along the walls, every 5 meters, are paired marble columns with gilded capitals.
Condition: The floor is tiled with a black and white checkerboard mosaic. The mosaic has been damaged in places by tree roots growing from the ceiling.
· Details:
Between the columns stand empty pedestals. They once held golden statues, but they were stolen by looters centuries ago. All that remains are dented marks in the dust.
· On the walls are frescoes (faded, but recognizable): coronations, battles, dragons. On one fresco, the king's face has been erased (a curse? vandalism?).
· Feature: At the end of the hallway are massive oak doors, covered in copper. The copper has turned green with age. The doors are ajar just enough to squeeze through sideways.