Death Reading

Death Reading is a story event in the Lion God Expansion rule book.

## Event Text

A ritual deciphering of ancient artifacts.

Nominate a survivor and follow the instructions corresponding with the strange resource used to trigger this event.

When instructed to roll a d10, Necromancers may choose their result without rolling.

### Old Blue Box

The old blue box contains dry, painted bones wrapped in medicinal gauze and adornments. Some of the bones are fossilized. When heated, the others billow thick gold smoke into the air. The smoke's tendrils surround you, immersing you in visions. Gain the Ancient Lion Claw rare gear and roll 1d10.

On a 4+, you comprehend the smoke. Otherwise, you are dead.

#### Comprehend the Smoke

You cough uncontrollably as the smoke fills the room until nothing can be seen but the glow of the heated lantern. Disoriented, you sense a hostile presence just before it strikes. Dodging a flurry of claw-like blades, you focus on the lantern light and feel as if you are able to predict the assailant's movements. With a heavy vibration, the lantern light transforms into a symbol. By keeping your eyes closed, you are able to copy the symbol down after the smoke clears. Gain the Lantern Mehndi rare gear.

### Triptych

When opened, you look upon a three-panel painting of a beautiful, desolate landscape. While staring at it, you begin to daydream. You wander in it for weeks, until you come to a clearing with a tree. Gaze upon it and roll 1d10.

On a 3+, you trace branches. Otherwise, your fellow survivors enter your chamber after waiting outside for several hours. They find only the closed triptych and one of your teeth, still wet with saliva. You are dead.

#### Trace branches

The tree's branches are arranged in an oddly familiar symbol. Suddenly, it shakes as if roused from slumber. With a creak resembling a sigh, piles of human bones slide out from between its roots. Suddenly, you snap out of the daydream and find only a few moments have passed. In the center of the triptych is the tree in your dreams and the symbol.

Gain the Glyph of Solitude rare gear.

### Canopic Jar

The jar is filled with a red-black fluid that doesn't resemble any blood you've ever seen before. Entrails bob and swim through it like hungry fish. Upend the jar on your head and roll 1d10.

The blood sticks to your skin, spreading when you try to rub it off. You panic. On a 4+, you see red. Otherwise, the blood boils, separating flesh from bone. You die screaming.

#### See Red

The harder you try, the more it spreads and the angrier you become. After a moment, your whole body is covered and your mind sees only visions of rage. You black out for hours, raging in the room until everything in it is reduced to splinters and powder. When you are finally done, you come to and see a symbol on the wall written in blood.

Gain the Butcher's Blood rare gear.

### Sarcophagus

You stare into the unblinking eyes of an enormous mummified lion head. Without warning, a gigantic insect springs forth from one of its eye sockets and stings your hand! Your vision dims as the venom courses through your veins. Greet Death.

#### Greet Death

Feverish and bedridden for days, you hallucinate terrifying men who possess beautiful armor and the claws of beasts. When the fever breaks, you find that all of your hair has been torn out and a strangely shaped scar has taken root on your forehead. Gain the Death Mehndi rare gear.

### Silver Urn

The urn is heavier than expected, and the ashes inside are warm despite the urn's coolness. As you bend your head towards them, they swirl and take on a tentacled form. Startled, you inhale deeply and roll 1d10.

On a 3+, you invite the dust. Otherwise, your head fills with immense pressure, forcing your eyes out of your skull. Suffer the blind severe head injury twice.

#### Invite the Dust

The urn's contents overwhelm your senses. In the haze, you are surrounded by painted figures who teeter on the edge of life and death. As they moan, the insides of your head being to feel sharp. You scream and pass out. When you awaken, the urn's ashes are gathered on the floor in a distinct pattern that you quickly copy down.

Gain the Bone Witch Mehndi rare gear.