Invaders of the Tomb -Invitation-

Invaders of the Tomb -Welcome- (大墳墓への侵入者-招待-) is a re-enactment game event in Mass for the Dead that was released on October 4, 2019 to April 13, 2019.

Background
This is a story you should have seen somewhere--. The skilled worker team "Foresight" undertakes the request for an archaeological survey. High reward, sleeping treasure. Intruders, driven by expectations and desires, are now about to step into the underground tomb.

Summary
In a forest located in the territory of the Re-Estize Kingdom, a heavily armed group is preparing to camp in the woods. Their aim is a ruin found in the Kingdom. As an adventurer, Momon participated in this expedition with Nabe. However the main force of the expedition is to capture the ruins using "workers" from the Baharuth Empire. The adventurer team Darkness is only there to serve as backup for the workers. At the camp Momon coordinates with the god adventurers in the security force helping to move equipment and motivate them with his partner Nabe. In the back the members of Foresight congregate on the expensive equipment such as the Sleipnirs used for transportation and the adamantite adventurers. In addition they called upon some impressive worker teams: Heavy Masher, Dragon Hunt, and Tenmu. The seriousness of this expedition is highlighted as are the possible rewards are found in this three day survey of the ruins. Later they are approached by the famed adventurer Momon asking if everything is alright. The workers state that they are just discussing the strategy for the upcoming exploration. They are confident with Momon backing them that they will succeed in plundering the ruins. Momon agrees with this though as he hopes for the success of this operation.

From a hill Arche views from a telescope the top of the mausoleum of Nazarick's Tomb from a distance, but cannot identify what era or setting it originates from. Hekkeran believes that will just mean more rewards for later. Roberdyck, however, notes there could be a chance that a powerful undead could lurk within, but Imina wonders aloud what kind of person could have built a tomb in this exact area to have been buried within. Hekkeran is excited at finding more from the unknown, but Arche is too focused on the reward money to care about wonder; her teammates laugh at her single-mindedness, with Hekkeran acknowledging this could be their best job ever.

In the dead of night, Hekkeran finalizes the plan that they will have each team move simultaneously at a given signal. Gringham's team enter their entry point, and find a burial room with an unknown banner over a sarcophagus, with none able to identify the crest. Alone, Gringham and his party, Heavy Masher, talk casually for a moment. Upon examining the banner, they find it is woven with precious metals worth tens of coins for the one banner. Gringham orders them to leave it to focus on the main objective, and they open the sarcophagus. They are astonished to find it filled with brim treasure. Hekkeran in the central mausoleum, likewise find the crypts to be filled with treasure and notes to his team that it was the right choice to take this request. His team agrees, though Imina notices Arche to be distracted, and tells her that they should focus on the mission. Thinking that Arche is recalling her debt with the loan shark the half-elf gives her encouragement that the reward from this job will clear her parent's debt.

The workers then regroup in the central mausoleum, reporting to each other that they found an incredible treasure as well. When arriving at the stair to descend into the First Floor, the smell of the dead fills the air, leading to worry of undead below, which Parpatra requests his team look for hidden entries around the surface. Parpatra only asks for a compensation fee of 10% to all treasures should a safe route be found, with Hekkeran and Grigham agreeing, but before Erya can voice in his opinion, Parpatra takes his leave. As they enter, Roberdyck senses no undead responses, and Heavy Masher members note the tomb to be at least 600 years old; making it more valuable and a historical find. Erya being impatient hurries the others as he wants to kill monsters, and everyone sees skeletons running at them from down the hallway ahead. The workers don't see this much as a challenge, in fact finding it bothersome. Gringham eliminates the skeletons and advises his colleagues to be cautious going forward as there could be a more powerful undead later on.

A few day before the start of the operation, in the imperial capital of Arwintar, Momon walking with Nabe in the streets notes how everyone has a look that they each believe they have a bright future ahead of them. Momon explains to her that Emperor El Nix is known as the "Bloody Emperor" for his role in ousting incompetent nobles from power, and his social reforms which brought incredible impact to the Empire. The nation is gaining power by magical research and military improvements. Even pointing out the patrolling soldiers, who are of better quality than Re-Estize, which drafts any able commoner to fight for them. Seeking out the Arwintar Adventurer's Guild to sell his name, and Nabe remembers hearing of workers being common; Momon states they do quests, but are not protected, follow Guild regulations, or are funded by the Guild. Momon sees some merit in what they do. Momonga thinks back to Demiurge's plan for making Nazarick a recognized nation, considering it a genius one-way plan, better than any alternative he could come up with.

Elsewhere at a bar, a man demand to know the location of Arche Eeb Rile Furt from Imina who refuses to disclose her friend's whereabouts. Hekkeran arrives and sees the man harassing his comrade, demands to know what is going on. After being introduced to the leader of Foresight, the man's arrogance wilted after sensing Hekkeran's aggression. The man attempted to explain more cordially that he was looking for Arche to discuss a private matter. When Hekkeran stated that he did not know, the man stated that he would wait, but the worker told him to get lost and subtly threatened him with violence. Confronted with the pressure from Hekkeran, the man decided to leave but not before passing a message for Arche that the "deadline is approaching."

Roberdyck and Arche soon come to discuss their next job: the exploration of a newly discovered tomb in the Re-Estize territory. Arche states she learned their client is Count Femel, who is losing favor with the Emperor but still has the finances to back the job. They are paid 200 Gold up front, 150 upon completion, and bonuses dependent on their findings. As it is a newly found ruin, Imina notes those are most rare as she thought most were already found. Looking at the map, Arche confirms there was never an ancient city or nation in the area, but there is a small village. Hekkeran reminds them discretion their major scruple of this job as if they are found the Re-Estize royals would take note. Before they decide whether or not to take the job Hekkeran and Imina inform Arche of the man that came looking for her and his last words. Arche confirms the man's words by stating that she is in debt.

Arche confesses that her family was in debt due to the extravagance of her parents' spending habits as they refused to accept the reality that they are no longer nobles. It was from that she had to leave being a student at the Imperial Magic Academy to financial support her family. However once she clears her debt she plans on taking away her two sisters with her to live their own lives. Considering Arche's circumstances, though they deny that they are worried about her, Foresight decided to accept the quest from Count Femel to investigate the large tomb. With the reward offered Archer's comrade offer to lend their share to cover her debt. Arche returns home to find her parents spent money they don't have on decorative artwork. Arche explains they need to be conservative with their funds. But her father doesn't wish to "lose" to the Bloody Emperor, and once he dies they will regain their titles. Arche swears that once she has her own funding she will take her sisters from their home somewhere better; her father retorts that all their care until now was because of him, and Arche with her sisters owe him immense gratitude. Exiting the living room, Arche meets her little sister Ureirika, and the two walk to their rooms to get some rest.

After Arche had taken her leave, her remaining friends think what could happen to her if she retires as a worker. But Imina is sure she will support her sisters as Arche is a Third Tier magic caster and can get any job she wants; especially with her Talent to see the magical capacity of others, the same Talent as Fluder Paradyne. Hekkeran proposes training a 2nd tier caster, but that's a last resort for them. Looking at other options, they all think of retiring as workers. Out in the streets of the city Roberdyck and Hekkeran are browsing for equipment when they see a pair of foreign adventurers walking on the street. The warrior in dark armor, whose presence and gear definitely prove he is not a worker like they. Hekkeran diverts his attention to how gorgeous his companion was. When Roberdyck asks if she was prettier than Imina, Hekkeran says the black-haired girl was. Rober is astounded by his saying that, despite how much he loves Imina. They note the pair are taking an interest in magical household goods, which is odd for people in their profession. However it's assumed that perhaps they were impressed by the magical standard of the Empire and the two turn to their own tasks in purchasing supplies.

At dawn, worker groups from Foresight, Dragon Hunt, Heavy Masher, and Tenmu have gathered for the exploration mission to explore and investigate the mysterious tomb. Each Worker Group captain meets with each other and greeting are shared. Greetings are cordial save for Erya Uzruth who makes his disdain for the half-elf Imina known. After he takes his leave, the other leaders note he could be a danger to them all. Femel's butler comes out to thank the workers for accepting the job, and directs them to their caravans; Hekkeran in awe that Sleipnirs will be drawing them. The butler explains gold adventurers will guard their encampment, but Erya raises concern over protection. The Butler alleviates the concern by introducing Momon and Nabe, an adamantite adventurers from E-Rantel. While so, Parpatra requests a sparring match with Momon of Darkness which the latter accepts. In the end, he has chosen to forfeit the match after realizing how powerless his attacks are against the adventurer. Momon's strength awes the workers and they are convinced with his presence that the success fo the mission is guaranteed.

Deep beneath in the Remote Tower of the Ministry of Magic, Fluder Paradyne tries to control a Death Knight in front of his disciples. As he is still unable to, he intends to someday achieve control so as to surpass Rigrit Bers Caurau as a powerful magic caster. As he moves to another section, his undead minions arm performing experiments to see if skeletons in proximity to corpses will turn them into zombies; with no progress whatsoever. Fluder exits the testing area, where a royal guard approaches to inform him the adamantite adventurer team Darkness wants to meet him.

In the Imperial Palace, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix has an intelligence report on the Demonic Disturbance, specifically Momon fighting against Jaldabaoth, as the demon hasn't been sighted since. Jircniv believes that with the kingdom in the exhausted state it is in following these events, they may not need to wage the annual war; and as they gained information easily from traitorous nobles, there's little to be done to quash Re-Estize. He then orders Fluder to investigate the Demon Jaldabaoth, while to also have answers on Momon and the mysterious Ainz Ooal Gown who saved Gazef, believing some hidden heroes and villains have come out of hiding. The Emperor theorizes these are the initial happening of a great battle, similar to the war with the Evil Deities 200 years prior. With the Emperor's Four Imperial Knights giving their respective inputs; Fluder concludes the conversation, with some news on his investigation with Ainz Ooal Gown.

At the base camp, Momon notes that the workers have entered the tomb, and another gold adventurer states they are still comrades in this mission, hoping they'll return safely; he then asks Momon's opinion. He slips stating they'll die, but quickly correct himself that they have that kind of resolve in case they run into danger to keep a safe mindset as a new ruin means unforeseen dangers; the gold adventurer buys into that and is relieved of any confusion. Momon goes to rest as the gold adventurer takes first watch, and returning to his tent, he returns to his Ainz persona to let Pandora's Actor take his place while he oversees the eventual retaliation for the workers' invasion into the tomb.

A little while later, as Team Foresight is walking with Arche noting it was all too easy to reach as far as they did, Imina warns them to be quiet. Looking around the corner, they see a group of undead soldiers. Arche detects 1st tier Skeleton mages providing them support, which could prove problematic for them going forward. So, Roberdyck uses his Holy Faith Magic to destroy the undead group in an instant. However soon they group begins to experience waves of unrelenting undead attacking them. Fighting there way through, the come across several ghouls which they slay and continue going deeper and deeper into the tomb. As they are chased some of their pursuers include an elder lich and skeleton warriors. Suddenly a magic circle activates beneath the team's feet and they are engulfed in light. When the ligh fades, Foresight realizes they were teleported by way of a magical trap. Seeing a dark hallway, they realize by an understanding of the Imperial Colosseum, that they are to fight someone. Looking ahead, past the caged doorway, they are to enter some sort of arena. Hekkeran also realizes this, and after moving forward entering the center of the structure, they believe they are outside when seeing a starry night sky. Arche opts to use her [Fly] spell, but they are all startled by the surprise arrival of a dark elf with a microphone, introducing Foresight to an empty crowd. They are then introduced to Ainz as their opponent.

Trivia

 * The scenarios in this game event covers the events from Overlord Volume 07.