Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

ybn1197
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
ybn1197
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4051
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: Baltimore MD

Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#1 Post by ybn1197 »

Days ago, your group of adventurers joined a desert caravan. Halfway across the desert, a terrible sandstorm struck, separating your party from the rest of the caravan. When the storm died down, you found you were alone. The caravan was nowhere in sight. The desert was unrecognizable, as the dunes had been blown into new patterns. You were lost.

You headed east, the same way the caravan was headed before the storm. Days passed. Your mounts died and you soon drank the last of your water. The end of the desert was not in sight.

The second day after your water ran out, you stumbled upon a number of stone blocks sticking out of a sand dune. Investigation showed that the sand covered the remains of a tall stone wall. On the other side of the stone wall was a ruined city.

The stone blocks of the city had toppled and cracked with the passing of time. Sand had covered most of the buildings. The stones that remained uncovered had been scoured smooth by the blowing sands.

In the center of the city towered a step-pyramid. It had five step-like tiers, each 20' high. The bottom-most tier was almost completely covered with sand. On top of the highest tier were three 30' tall statues.

The statue on the left was of a strong, bearded man holding a balance* in one hand and a lightning bolt in the other. The middle statue was of a winged child with two snakes twined about its body. The child held a wand in one hand and a handful of coins in the other. The statue on the right was of a beautiful woman. In her hands she held a sheaf of wheat and a sword.

On the south side of the pyramid, a ramp with stairs led from the ground to the top of the highest tier. A quick search of the ruins revealed no source of food or water, so you decided to climb the pyramid. In the side of the ramp, level with the floor of the top tier, you found a secret door . . .

The slab of stone that hid the secret entrance to the pyramid is now held open by the dead body of some sort of beast-man. The body has a large crossbow bolt sunk deep in its chest. The creature has been dead several weeks.

User avatar
Pulpatoon
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 6262
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#2 Post by Pulpatoon »

Virmel the Worm takes a break from his week-long litany of complaints about having lost his medicines and having less water than everyone else in order to examine the statues. Pointing to the man and woman, he announces, "Sky father, Earth mother. You find such gods worshipped in many lands. The middle figure is interesting. "Child of Magic," wouldn't you say? Positioned between the heavens and the wide foundation, a point of communication between them. And the snakes also represent communication between realms—they can travel below the earth and whisper with the dead."

Licking his cracked lips and picking at his peeling, sunburnt skin, he says, "If this city was once peopled by savants and adepts, there could be great secrets still buried. It would behoove us to investigate, even under these dire circumstances."

Upon finding the body of the beast-man, Virmel looks taken aback. "We are not the first to stumble upon this place! And it must hold something worth killing for!"

Hesitatingly, the sorcerer examines the body for further details, rifling through any possessions as he does so.

User avatar
drpete
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4492
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 2:40 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#3 Post by drpete »

Rojo the Rat

Rojo hisses "Be careful, Worm! Don't touch anything until we know it's safe!"

Rojo will join in examining the scene. Does the beastman look like he's been looted, or fed on by anything? He will then leave detailed examination of the beastman and door to others and will check out the giant statues. Are any of them looking or pointing at us? Are they made of stone? Are their tools made of the same stuff as the rest of them?

User avatar
ybn1197
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4051
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: Baltimore MD

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#4 Post by ybn1197 »

Pulpatoon wrote:Hesitatingly, the sorcerer examines the body for further details, rifling through any possessions as he does so.
drpete wrote:Rojo will join in examining the scene. Does the beastman look like he's been looted, or fed on by anything?
Examination of the body reveals little more than you saw from a distance. There is no pack or equipment on the body, apparently being looted after his death. The body is still intact, dried out by the blazing sun and heat clearly showing nothing has disturbed the corpse since it fell here.

drpete wrote:He will then leave detailed examination of the beastman and door to others and will check out the giant statues. Are any of them looking or pointing at us? Are they made of stone? Are their tools made of the same stuff as the rest of them?
The statues are made of a bronze metal, scoured clean by the wind, heat and sand. Being 30' tall, they are not looking at you, they look out on the ruins of the city.

User avatar
Pulpatoon
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 6262
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#5 Post by Pulpatoon »

Virmel turns from examining the body to the door. Does it seem likely to close if the beast-man is moved away? Are there visible mechanisms for opening and closing it? Can he see anything of the room beyond it?

User avatar
ybn1197
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4051
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: Baltimore MD

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#6 Post by ybn1197 »

Beyond the stone slab is a 10' wide 30' long passage, leading into the pyramid; it turns left under the upper tier at the end of the 30'. The passage floor is covered with dust and sand. Several pairs of footprints can be seen leading inward. In a niche in the wall opposite the door, you see a large crossbow pointed at you. The crossbow does not appear to be loaded. Looking about the frame, it does appear that the only thing keeping the door open is the corpse and that moving it will release the door to swing back into place and seal the entrance way.

User avatar
GreyWolfVT
Wants a special title like Scott
Posts: 32929
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:02 pm
Location: Vermont
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#7 Post by GreyWolfVT »

Florin "You know it might have been a trap on the inside and when the creature opened the door it was impaled by that bolt. Crossbow traps are not unheard of you know. I'd heed the warning and be wary of traps. As for the statues they are wondrous a great beauty, I'd not mess with them for fear of offending the gods."
“All men did have darkness. Some wore it in the form of horns. Some bore it invisibly as rot in their souls.”
― Paul S. Kemp, Shadowbred
"If good people won’t do the hard things, evil people will always win, because evil people will do anything."
― Paul S. Kemp, Twilight Falling

Algrim Tirion Dwarf - HarnMaser
Dalin Silverhand Dwarf Thief - Barrowmaze
Elwood 'Dug' The Bounty Hunter Dwarf Swashbuckler - Hedge's Adventures in the World of Golarion
Roan Gravelbeard Dwarf Fighter - Hedge's Greyhawk Adventures
Torvik Shadowhood Dwarf Fighter/Thief - Nocturne
DM - GreyWolf's Mystara Adventures - AD&D 2e

User avatar
Pulpatoon
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 6262
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#8 Post by Pulpatoon »

Virmel the Worm: "Speaking of traps, I don't trust this door to open, should it close again. If we're of a mind to go in and get out of this beastly sun, we should find a studier doorstop."

DavetheLost
Pathfinder
Pathfinder
Posts: 339
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: Canton, NY

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#9 Post by DavetheLost »

Urrok pauses for a moment on the top of the pyramid to look out over the ruined city. He is particularly looking for any signs of water or hostile inhabitants.

I agree with Virmel that we should find a sturdier doorstop, or one of less interest to any scavangers that may happen by.
Playing: At the Forest's Edge: Desmond Halfling Vagabond
The Northern Marches: Hengist Cleric of Baudh

User avatar
Tamerlaine
Ranger
Ranger
Posts: 788
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 5:30 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#10 Post by Tamerlaine »

A quiet man, Yisun keeps his bow ready and his eyes constantly roam his surroundings. He is deeply superstitious and the statues trouble him to no end. He knows he hates the place, exacerbated by the punishing heat of the sun and his dry, cracked lips. Water. They needed water and Yisun wondered if this place would even have any.

He moves up to take a look at the corridor beyond the slab while taking a glance at the dead man-beast. A shudder runs through his small frame. Yisun keeps back, nervous and alert.

User avatar
Griffith
Pathfinder
Pathfinder
Posts: 275
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#11 Post by Griffith »

Dwernoc looks up at the statues. Their bronze countenances staring enigmatically out upon the dead city made the grey-adorned sorcerer uneasy. "These are forgotten gods worshipped by a forgotten people." If they were not all so desperate for food and water, he would have advised them to move on.

He follows the others up to where the body lies in the doorway and examines the scene. "There must have been a number of these beastmen. This fellow here was, unfortunately for him, the first one in. The trap killed him and then his friends continued on; see those footprints there leading in?" Dwernoc eyes the dark passageway warily and sniffs the air coming from it. "There will be more of his kind in there. Still, I don't know what other choice we have. We must find water."

"I say we pull the corpse in with us and close the door behind us. If there are more of them out there, we don't need an open door or a dead body indicating the way in. Then we commit ourself to finding water. And hope that if there is a way in, there is a way out."
Last edited by Griffith on Sat Mar 18, 2017 3:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
GreyWolfVT
Wants a special title like Scott
Posts: 32929
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:02 pm
Location: Vermont
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#12 Post by GreyWolfVT »

Florin "I agree Dwernoc we either bring the corpse in or find something to push it out of the door behind us."
“All men did have darkness. Some wore it in the form of horns. Some bore it invisibly as rot in their souls.”
― Paul S. Kemp, Shadowbred
"If good people won’t do the hard things, evil people will always win, because evil people will do anything."
― Paul S. Kemp, Twilight Falling

Algrim Tirion Dwarf - HarnMaser
Dalin Silverhand Dwarf Thief - Barrowmaze
Elwood 'Dug' The Bounty Hunter Dwarf Swashbuckler - Hedge's Adventures in the World of Golarion
Roan Gravelbeard Dwarf Fighter - Hedge's Greyhawk Adventures
Torvik Shadowhood Dwarf Fighter/Thief - Nocturne
DM - GreyWolf's Mystara Adventures - AD&D 2e

User avatar
ybn1197
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4051
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: Baltimore MD

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#13 Post by ybn1197 »

Image

User avatar
Pulpatoon
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 6262
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#14 Post by Pulpatoon »

Virmel the Worm frets over the door: "I have a charm for doors, but it concerns sealing them, not opening. I don't relish being trapped in this... it might as well be a tomb, whatever its original purpose. I don't think we should close it until we know we can open it again. How did the beasts open it in the first place?"

Virmel examines the walls around the door, looking for anything askew or out of place. If he finds nothing, he says, "I'm going to head up to the statues. Perhaps the mechanism is triggered from there." In a wheedling, wounded tone which you have all come to loathe in the past weeks, he adds, "Surely someone will want to come help me? What if I should faint under this blistering heat?"

User avatar
drpete
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4492
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 2:40 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#15 Post by drpete »

Rojo the Rat

Rojo hisses at the suggestion, and shakes his head.

"I have heard many stories of tomb robbers killed by their folly. I don't want to be locked in this pyramid if there's no water here. Let's only close it if we can open it from within!"

Rojo will step over the body of the beastman, trying not to touch it, into the space immediately behind the door. He will then look at the back side of the secret door for a way to get it back open.

User avatar
GreyWolfVT
Wants a special title like Scott
Posts: 32929
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:02 pm
Location: Vermont
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#16 Post by GreyWolfVT »

Florin "Not sure why these creatures opened the place but I'm thinking it would be wise to get out of the heat and seek water and perhaps food though this place may well be the wrong type of location to find such things."
“All men did have darkness. Some wore it in the form of horns. Some bore it invisibly as rot in their souls.”
― Paul S. Kemp, Shadowbred
"If good people won’t do the hard things, evil people will always win, because evil people will do anything."
― Paul S. Kemp, Twilight Falling

Algrim Tirion Dwarf - HarnMaser
Dalin Silverhand Dwarf Thief - Barrowmaze
Elwood 'Dug' The Bounty Hunter Dwarf Swashbuckler - Hedge's Adventures in the World of Golarion
Roan Gravelbeard Dwarf Fighter - Hedge's Greyhawk Adventures
Torvik Shadowhood Dwarf Fighter/Thief - Nocturne
DM - GreyWolf's Mystara Adventures - AD&D 2e

User avatar
Tamerlaine
Ranger
Ranger
Posts: 788
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 5:30 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#17 Post by Tamerlaine »

Pulpatoon wrote:"Surely someone will want to come help me? What if I should faint under this blistering heat?"
Yisun knows perhaps the best way to keep Virmel's mouth shut is to accommodate him. He walks by him and grunts, tossing his head up towards the statues. He turns and waits for Virmel to lead.

User avatar
Pulpatoon
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 6262
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:35 pm
Contact:

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#18 Post by Pulpatoon »

Virmel smiles ingratiatingly at Yisun, and he oozes, "Thank you, you're very kind," while shooting a wounded look at everyone who didn't volunteer.

Heading to the top of the stepped pyramid, Virmel first looks for any signs of disturbance in the sand—did the beast-men come up here? If so, he will investigate any areas where the tracks are concentrated, looking for anything of interest. If there are no tracks, or if they yield nothing, he will examine the statues in detail.

User avatar
Griffith
Pathfinder
Pathfinder
Posts: 275
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#19 Post by Griffith »

Pulpatoon wrote:Virmel smiles ingratiatingly at Yisun, and he oozes, "Thank you, you're very kind," while shooting a wounded look at everyone who didn't volunteer.
"So sorry, Virmel. But one of us at least must stay here and observe the door. Should you find a lever or switch that controls it, I will call out. I will also call out should more beastmen arrive." Dwernoc will sit on the ground cross legged --preferably in the shade, if there is any-- to conserve energy.

User avatar
ybn1197
Rider of Rohan
Rider of Rohan
Posts: 4051
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: Baltimore MD

Re: Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan...

#20 Post by ybn1197 »

Pulpatoon wrote:Virmel smiles ingratiatingly at Yisun, and he oozes, "Thank you, you're very kind," while shooting a wounded look at everyone who didn't volunteer.

Heading to the top of the stepped pyramid, Virmel first looks for any signs of disturbance in the sand—did the beast-men come up here? If so, he will investigate any areas where the tracks are concentrated, looking for anything of interest. If there are no tracks, or if they yield nothing, he will examine the statues in detail.
The only tracks you see are those left by Urrok as he climbed to the top of the pyramid where he currently still stands. As you climb the stairs you realize tracks do not remain long here as the winds clear the sand or add more sand depending on their strength. Before long the tracks left by yourselves will be erased as well.

The statues are made of bronze and are centuries old by their appearance. There does not appear to be much out of sorts with them and the sun beats hotter up here with nothing at all to shelter in except the shadows of the statues.

Post Reply

Return to “The Lost City (Crypts & Things)”