Chapter 2: Pyramid of the Dead

[Inferno]

Garrin and Gronda: Each of you, please Save vs Strength on 1d20. Thanks.

[Mant72]

Save vs Strength (13): [1d20] = 19
I agree with Hedge...the dice roll is shit!

[OGRE MAGE]

Oh, I don't know.
Strength save (13) [1d20] = 2

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, libriomancer

No response to my call. I'm sure those rough-and-tumble fighters have matters well in hand. I ready to climb and spy a tiny black scorpian underfoot. I quickly crush it with my boot. I'll have to warn the others to keep an eye out for such deadly critters.

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Dusk. Scorching, arid, cloudless



Biblo stomps a tiny scorpion under his boot heel.

High above him, atop the Great Pyramid, Gronda the savage races to join noble Garrin. Together they desperately heave on Skuth's rope, trying to the topple the pagan icon down onto the colossal, crawling monstrosity. There is the deep scrape of stone on stone. Dust sifts at its base. The massive statue wavers. But it does not fall!

They watch in horror as, below them, in a chaotic maelstrom, the starving giant scorpion tries to corner and devour its struggling, scurrying prey... their companions!



In a tooth and nail battle for survival, Mako of Khitai deftly jabs again at the horrific mammoth with his quarterstaff, landing another glancing blow off its eager, grasping mandibles!

Roan of Vanaheim murderously thrusts his great sword once more, trying to drive it through the astonishing creature's armor! KTANG! He fails and the vibrations from the harrowing impact wrack his mighty sword arm!

The gargantuan scorpion thunders again as its monumental claws mercilessly seek the vitals of its victims, wanting to rip open mortal flesh and bone, and feast! But Mako and Roan evade the hungry, spine-crushing pincers and insidious poison stinger of the ravenous leviathan!



The immense, lumbering terror cannot catch them, and they can't seem to harm it. Have Mako and Roan snatched a stalemate from the jaws of death?!

Suddenly, the monstrous creature turns it terrible attention back to Loche, paralyzed and distended on the sandy stone floor. Its alien mandibles writhe in anticipation as it readies to lunge, and feed!


Actions?!


Map:

Pyramid Tier 1b.jpg (744.43 KiB) Viewed 1113 times

One square = 10 feet. First letter of PCs' first name marks their position. Red marks the dead, unconscious or paralyzed.
The trapdoor shaft up to the other PCs is in the center of this chamber's ceiling.


Rolls and Rules (nonrequired reading):

Initiative: Party [1d6] = 3, Monster: [1d6-4] = 6-4 = 2 Party
Pincer attacks Mako: [1d20-4] = 2-4 = -2 , damage: [1d10-4] = 2-4 = -2 Misses
Claw attacks Roan: [1d20-4] = 9-4 = 5 , damage: [1d10-4] = 5-4 = 1 Misses
Stinger attacks Mako (1) or Roan (2)? [1d2] = 2 Roan
Stinger attacks Roan: [1d20-4] = 8-4 = 4, damage: [1d4-4] = 3-4 = -1 Misses.
Damn! I hate that dice roller too!

Timing:
20 minutes until sunset, and Saves vs. Starvation for most of you.
Arthfael is now recovered from the exertion of the climb.
Biblo will summit in 25 minutes, and then need 10 minutes of rest.

Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 5, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 12/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 16/18 Paralyzed
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 8/12

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako sticks his quarter staff into the sand. With his hand free he pulls out a small piece of fur from his pouch. He plucks the little fibers from it as he speaks a quick chants.

Casts Phantasmal Force. He creates a giant Ibis head (60 sq. feet max size) that comes from out of the sand in the hopes the natural predator of scorpions will scare it off.

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

The nobleman heaves with all his might, tugging on the grapple in desperation.

Save vs Strength (13): [1d20] = 4 Come on Gronda...

[Inferno]

Thanks, Mant72.
Again, anyone pulling Garrin's rope: please make a Strength Save on 1d20. Thanks.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda pulls as hard as she can on the rope, to no avail.

Strength save (13) [1d20] = 19

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Sweat pouring down his face and along his aching arms, Roan ducks as the scorpion turns toward the prone Pict. He hesitates for a moment...and then attacks yet again, gritting his teeth as he swings his sword with all his might.
Bastard sword: [1d20+3] = 9+3 = 12, [2d8+5] = 7+5 = 12

[Zhym]

Arthfael, finally recovered from his climb, stands and grabs on to the rope to help pull the statue down.

Strength check (14): [1d20] = 14

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Dusk. Scorching, arid, cloudless



As Loche watches helplessly from the sandy, stone floor, he sees the hideous, hungry eyes of the fierce monstrosity appraising his delicious, bloated flesh.



Mako of Khitai desperately weaves falsehoods and deceptions into thin air until they take on a life of their own. The eastern illusionist's cunning craft conjures forth an impossible avian apparition, a tremendous, phantom ibis bursting suddenly from out of a corner dune. Its gigantic black beak opens with eerie silence. The gargantuan scorpion looks up from Loche.

Suddenly, with the hum of steel, Roan's blade shears through the scorpion's fearsome, massive pincer, severing it at the joint! The Vanir barbarian's great sword blasts out the other side of the shattering carapace! The frightening nightmare shrieks deafeningly but still lives ...in agony.

High above, Arthfael, Garrin and Gronda hoist the taut rope with all their might! The towering lioness god of the ancients moves, imperceptibly at first. Then it begins to slowly rock on its base.



They strain harder and the tipping point is reached! Sekhmet begins to fall of her own inexorable volition, toward the center of the roof, and the waiting maw of the open trapdoor. The rope slack vanishes and the three toiling figures tumble to the floor dangerously near the edge of the stone mountain.

The immense colossus of the dead goddess tips and plunges down through the floor portal, headfirst! The short shaft of the portal straightens its dangerous descent and it hurtles directly down in an unstoppable deadfall!

RUNCH!

It impales the giant scorpion just behind the head with a grisly, sickening sound of cracking shell armor. The leviathan horror is killed instantly. It collapses to the floor; alien, bulbous eyes giving way to blackness without stars. The ferocious giant ceases its ghastly efforts to seize and rend its human prey, and falls as silent as the ageless pyramid tomb that surrounds it.


Actions?


Map:

Pyramid Tier 1c.jpg (734.55 KiB) Viewed 1074 times

One square = 10 feet. First letter of PCs' first name marks their position. Red marks the dead, unconscious or paralyzed.
The trapdoor shaft up to the other PCs is in the center of this chamber's ceiling.


Rolls and Rules (nonrequired reading):

Initiatve: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monster: [1d6-4] = 3-4 = -1 Party wins.

Fyi, the statue required two Strength saving throws at once to topple, if leverage was used. Without leverage, it needed four.

The shaft position, and the size of the statue and the scorpion, combine for an automatic hit once Strength saves succeed. The statue's minimum damage is enough to finish the wounded scorpion; it had lost HP from starvation damage.

Timing:
19 minutes until sunset, and Saves vs. Starvation for most of you.
Biblo will summit in 24 minutes, and then need 10 minutes of rest.

Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 5, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 12/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 16/18 Paralyzed
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 8/12

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

The barbarian jumps back as the statue crushes the giant scorpion. He looks up to see his companions near the edge and throws up his arms and roars, shaking his fist and gore-covered sword in triumph!

RAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

"Come! Let us feast!" Roan says as he hurries to the scorpion and begins digging into its carapace, shoving soft flesh into his mouth.

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

A beaming smile spreads across the paladin's face as he peers down the shaft upon the crushed insect. He claps his companions on the back and carefully lowers himself down into the pyramid.

"Praise Mitra! Yes, let us eat, but first we should see to Loche's wounds." Garrin makes his way over to the Pict and sees what he can do for the man.

Garrin will retrieve the grapple that was used to topple the statue.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako breaks concentration and the giant Ibis disappears. He retrieves his quaterstaff from the sand and examines Loche's bloat body. Hopefully the call for a feast is for the freshly slain scorpion and not the engorged Loche.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, the Son of Rune

Having completely forgotten about the brave Pict, Roan spits pieces of shell from his mouth and rushes to help extract the bloated rogue. Examining Locke's poisoned body, Roan wracks his hunger-ravished brain for some type of cure...

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda looks at Arthfael with an expression of relief on her worn face.

I'm glad you were here to help. I bet the three down below with no patience are even more relieved.

Gronda keeps a watch over the hole as the others descend. She will stay up top for now and wait for the bookworm to summit before joining the others inside the mountainous structure.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Sweat drips off his nose as he examines Locke's body. Figuring this is similar to a snake bite, Roan takes his knife and makes and "X" over the puncture wounds...and then he attempts to suck out the poison.
Healing try (25%): [1d100] = 24

He spits the bile aside and tries again, silently praying to his god, while outwardly growling, "Fracking Pict!"

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako back away as Roan moves towards Locke. His fear for Locke is fulfilled as he watches Roan cut into Locke and taste his flesh. Thankfully Locke's flesh does not look to be palpable to Roan. Hopefully the rest of the group will find Locke flesh the same.

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Dusk. Scorching, arid, cloudless





The gigantic scorpion lay murdered, impaled between the shoulders by colossal Sekhmet of the Lost City. Roan the barbarian cracks open shards of shattered carapace and gorges on the raw scorpion meat beneath. The starving Vanir feasts.

In the homeland of Mako of Khitai, scorpion is a delicacy. Like lobster, the claws and the tail hold the most desired fare. The hungry easterner gathers his quarterstaff, banishes his fallacious conjuration and moves to Loche's bloated form.

Garrin the Atlantean uses the line that toppled a goddess to lower himself into the cool shadows of the Great Pyramid of Xuthalhotep. But Gronda of Zembabwei seems in no rush to eat. She stays on the roof of the stone mountain, awaiting the ascent of toiling Biblo.

Roan of Vanaheim joins Garrin and Mako at Loche's stricken body. The outlander grimly performs first aid on the scorpion sting, drawing poison from the wound. Soon Loche coughs with a jolt. The Pict thief wretches bile from his empty stomach. He feels the paralysis that had gripped him leave as the hideous swelling abates.

Surrounding the starving explorers and the dead scorpion monster in this great, mysterious chamber of the ancients are four bronze doors encrusted in hieroglyphs, one for each cardinal direction. One had been opened by Mako, revealing a mechanical javelin trap behind it.




Actions for the next 15 minutes?
14 minutes until sunset, and Saves vs. Starvation for most of you.
Biblo will summit in 19 minutes, and then need 10 minutes of rest.


Map:

Pyramid Tier 1.jpg (735.13 KiB) Viewed 1035 times

Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 5, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 12/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 16/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 8/12

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)