I think modern role-playing gamers aren’t appreciate enough just how much folkloric precedent there is for “a random bunch of weirdos delve into subterranean vaults for treasures”. So I thought I should share one of my favorite tales from German folklore on this topic - though there are hundreds if not thousands of further tales about this theme:

The Treasures of the Isholz

A long time ago, the Schlangenhecke estate belonged to the Morsbroich chapter house of the Teutonic order. It was as lively back then as it is empty and decayed now. As there are few inns in the remote countryside which provide food and shelter to wanderers, the farmer provided all the more hospitality. And in this manner, wanderers arrived at the Schlangenhecke who were admitted there for the night.

Once, three such guests requested the hospitality of the farmer. Because of their garb as well as their manner of speaking, they were recognizable as the inhabitants of a faraway region. The farmer offered the living room to them, and, after dinner, gave them fresh straw as bedding as was custom in the region. At midnight, the three wanderers rose up from their straw, quietly snuck out into the yard, and from there through a side gate into the outside.

But the shepherd of the estate had heard the noise and became suspicious: The strangers might plan to steal some animals, which he needed to prevent. However, he soon realized that he had misjudged them. But since he saw these people sneak out to the heath and towards the Isholz woods, he could not stifle his curiosity and snuck after them at some distance through this mild summer night. In this manner, he was able to avoid being noticed by them. The longer he followed them, the more his desire grew to understand what they were doing.

At the borders of the heath, close to the ill-omened forest, the men halted, whispered for a time, carefully looked around to all sides, and then ignited a candle. The shepherd was greatly astonished when he saw the three adventurers descend into the earth with their light. Initially, he circled around the spot from a distance. Then, becoming brazen, he went straight to the location where he had last seen them, but he could not find anything other than a rabbit warren from which not even the slightest noise emerged. He was overcome by considerable dread by this revelation, and quickly fled from the ill-omened heath into the safe refuge of the Schlangenhecke.

The next morning, he told the master of the house about this strange incident. The latter then questioned his guests, who had returned unnoticed at dawn. After much evasiveness, he finally received the confession that they had undertaken this long journey because of the treasures which were buried beneath the heath. They had dared the incantation, and, under its influence, penetrated the earth which had retreated before them. They then described how they had passed through a narrow opening into long corridors, which had opened into a succession of caves. In these caves, they had beheld glittering weapons, shining crowns, chains, and gemstones, and an abundance of precious metals in both minted and unminted forms. But they had been unable to touch anything at this time. They confessed that the retrieval of these treasures would have to wait for another, still distant hour.

As can be imagined, such news of enormous wealth caused receptive people in the surrounding hamlets and villages to seek their fortune there. And thus, treasure hunting is not a wholly unknown art in the region, although it has rewarded the practitioners little.

Years ago, a group of determined young men conspired together to quietly acquire everything needed for the lifting of subterranean treasures. Then they went out to the Isholz on a night which was favorable to treasure hunting. Their arts of invocation were indeed so successful that they could penetrate the earth after some digging. The men - allegedly seven in number - soon found themselves deep beneath the ground in long, dark corridors, which they were barely able to illuminate with their blessed light.

Finally, they trotted into a spacious cave, whose walls and curves reflected the rays of the blessed candle in a strange manner. In the center they saw a naked maiden reclining on a large stone slab as if it was a bed. Her arms and chest were richly adorned with golden chains and bracelets, and golden brooches and shimmering gemstones sparkled from beneath her dark curls. At the feet of this female apparition, there was gold and silver in all sorts of coin types in huge chests, and large containers, bowls and shields made out of noble metals, and crowns adorned with marvelous jewelry were piled up. The maiden waved to the treasure hunters in the loveliest manner, and elaborated that each of them was free to grab into the gold-filled chest with both hands. However, then one of the seven would be required to stay with her in the cave. Then the beautiful woman looked at each of the men in turn, as if she wanted to pick the one who would have to remain behind with her in the mountain.

No matter how bright the money shone into the eyes of the young men, no matter how marvelous the glitter of the gemstones reflected all colors and penetrated their greedy hearts, everyone was nevertheless overcome by the thought that he might be bound to this gloomy cave forever. The luring maiden might be secretly a monster, who in this moment might smile in a heavenly manner, but in the next could torture him in the form of a dragon. In this manner, they might race into the arms of the Evil Enemy, and be lost for all time!

Everyone thus carefully looked to the entrance of the cave, and used this opportunity to hurry away. As no one wanted to be the last, all seven rushed upstairs through the narrow entrance at the same time. They collided with each other, tumbled because the light went out, rolled over in their haste, climbed over each other, and finally all arrived up in the open air, though they were very scratched and disheveled. But no one dared to rest there. Everyone ran towards his abode on their own, and was in terrible fear, and they felt as if a thousand giant hands were grasping for them out of the darkness. Everyone reached their home with the firmest conviction that at least one of his comrades, if not all of them, were now buried within the mountain forever.

This misapprehension was only cleared up the next day. Every one of the companions became disgruntled and regretted that he had not brazenly grabbed something from the chest, and then the choice of the magical woman would not have fallen on him but on one of his comrades. Everyone reproached himself because of his fear and timidity, although the fellowship was unable to agree to a second expedition and treasure hunt.

Thus, the treasures of the Isholz still remain under the custody of the beautiful maiden or some other member of the spirit people. Therefore, a bold treasure hunter can still get lucky here in a twofold manner.

Source: Waldbrühl, W. v. Die Wesen der Niederrheinischen Sagen. 1857, p. 17ff.

If you know of any other good treasure-hunting tales, feel free to share them!

    • Jürgen Hubert@ttrpg.networkOP
      3·
      3 days ago

      I’ll have to see if I can schedule a few further appropriate tales for translation later this year. In the meantime, here some other tales that feature groups of treasure hunters:

      Treasure Hunters in Wesenberg

      At the end of the previous and the beginning of the current century there was a whole group of treasure hunters pursuing their trade in Wesenberg and the surrounding villages. Their usual place of rest between their excavations was the Prelauker or Belower Theerofen whose owners were keen participants in the digging, though this did not particularly help any of them. Instead their pub declined more than it prospered, and the heirs had to recover what their fathers had neglected.

      Now, it is well known that the very foundation of treasure excavation is the maintenance of unbroken silence. And this was the point where the undertaking of our heroes usually failed. They themselves frequently told the story not without some pride, but also with hidden anger, of how the three of them progressed far enough into the ground that they spotted a heavy, large container that would have contained the treasure. But suddenly a white maiden - another source, my uncle, called her “clad in grey clothing” - jumped between their hands, back and forth, so that they were no longer able to work. Suddenly one of the treasure hunters impatiently called to his neighbor: “Rehdanz, grab her, grab her!”, and at once the treasure, the maiden, and everything else was gone.

      Source: Bartsch, K. Sagen, märchen und gebräuche aus Mecklenburg, 1879. p. 252f.

      The Sunken Castle Burggraben near Immigrath

      Next to the railroad between Immigrath and Opladen, about 20 minutes distant from the first village, lies the so-called Burggraben (“castle wall”), an old hillfort which used to be a knight’s castle according to the beliefs of the locals. As they claim, a violent robber knight used to live there who was the terror of the entire region, causing all neighboring landowners to fortify their homes with moats and walls. But today the castle has sunk beneath the ground, for the knight supposedly kept an innocent maiden in close confinement for a long time. For this iniquity the castle was sunk. But many treasures have gone into the depths with it, in particular a barrel with gold and a golden spinning wheel. The spinning wheel was once stolen by the robber knight of Burggraben from a princess, for only the daughters of high nobles spin on golden spinning wheels.

      There have often been attempts to unearth these treasures on Saint Matthias’ Night, but all such efforts have been in vain so far. Once several men, who were even accompanied by a woman, dug for those treasures. Suddenly a great barrel rolled past them. This shock paralyzed the whole group. When they had recovered somewhat from this surprise, everything was gone. Another time the treasure hunters thought themselves close to their goal when a powerful storm arose which filled their souls with such dread that they fled in fright.

      Source: Schell, O. Bergische Sagen, 1897. p. 475f.

      The Failed Treasure Hunt near Hoyerswerda

      (Tale from Hoyerswerda)

      A treasure was supposedly buried in the Fasanengarten (“pheasant garden”) near Hoyerswerda. Several farmers had heard of this as well. They decided to unearth it. The farmers had the reputation of being knowledgeable in secret things. And indeed, they had discovered an incantation in their books of spells with which they could unearth it. One day they went to the site. One of the farmers began to recite the incantation, but he had not memorized it precisely. He was reciting it in a manner that was riddled with errors, and while he was doing so, a large mob of stags, wolves, and other animals gathered which closed in on the farmers. The latter were rooted in place by fear. Then the earth opened up and a large stream of water emerged from it. This water rose so high that it wetted the chests of the farmers. Now the farmer, who had caused this trouble in the first place, had a bright idea. He quickly recited the incantation backwards. Immediately, the waters receded and the animals retreated. Howling and screeching like that from wild animals could still be heard, but only from a distance. When the farmer had finished the incantation, everything uncanny was gone.

      Now the farmers hurried home in fright. Some of them expired on the way, while others died at home. Only one farmer stayed alive. For this farmer owned a whole library of spell books, and thus he must have known how to overcome his terror. But this farmer suffered in the end as well. For when he became old, he wished to die, but this wish did not come true. Finally the Devil appeared to him and told the farmer that he would help him if he gave him his soul. The farmer did so. Then the Devil advised him to burn his spell books. The farmer followed the Devil’s advice. When the last book was consumed by fire and turned to ash, the life of the farmer expired as well.

      Source: Veckenstedt, E. Wendische Sagen, Märchen und abergläubische Gebräuche, 1880, p. 378f.