Chapter 10: The Crypt of Everlasting Life

[Inferno]

Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Four. Morning. 16th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia




The Verulian adventurers say nothing as the outlander Loche plunders the crypt of the ancient Verulians, lining his pockets with golden treasures from beyond antiquity.

The explorers slowly begin to move toward the titanic boulder. Xorzen of Osorus is the first to crawl past it. By the flickering light of a borrowed torch, the masked disciple emerges on the other side and discovers a towering, magnificent corridor ranging west.



After 50 feet it turns north out of sight.

Garrin the Atlantean crawls past the boulder next and stands at Xorzen's side.


Actions?


Map Detail:



Map:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.





PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 7/10, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 17/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 18/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 12/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 6(5), HP: 9/9, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 8, HP: 12/12, Torch
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 2: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/16

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All except Amethu and Zahra): All lost HP recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 HP per hour. Duration: "months."

Player Resources:

• The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)
  An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako gets in line and waits for his turn to crawl under the giant boulder.

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche joins the line to go under the boulder.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri will pause a moment until a few more of the others have gone through, then he'll take his turn.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu follows also. Once through he stands, dusts off his robes, and examines the boulder to see if it was reduced in size would it roll down the corridor they are in. Regardless, he will look for a few large rocks to brace the boulder to try and prevent it from rolling further and catching them from behind.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorzen moves forward enough to let everyone through. He continues his investigation of the floor and walls as the others all join him.

"Was anything magical or important found?" He asks as they squeeze through.

Once the group is reassembled, he regains his place in the order and readies himself to continue down the hall.

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra watches the sloping corridor while the others squeeze under the boulder, then takes her turn.

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

Last to squeeze through, Soruk tries to determine the slope of the western passage once on the other side.

[Inferno]

Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Four. Mid-Morning. 16th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Led by Xorzen of Osorus...



...one by one, the explorers of the tombs of the Great Pyramid crawl through the triangular gap between the immense boulder, the floor and the wall. They emerge into a magnificent hall lined with statues of the ancient gods and pharaohs of lost Verulia.

Amethu and Soruk detect a subtle grade in this floor that descends toward the titanic boulder. Amethu the masked sorcerer-priest collects rubble and places it at the boulder's western base.

Xorzen painstakingly examines the stone walls and floor before them, mindful of the ancient engines and devices that claimed the lives of others on this quest.

They slowly proceed, their echoing footsteps the only sound as they walk these timeless corridors of the distant past.

They safely reach a branching into two paths, one of which has a door.


Actions?


Map:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map Detail:






PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 7/10, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 17/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 18/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 12/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 6(5), HP: 9/9, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 8, HP: 12/12, Torch
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 2: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/16

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All except Amethu and Zahra): All lost HP recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 HP per hour. Duration: "months."

Player Resources:

• The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)
  An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[SocraticLawyer]

Let's explore the southern path first," says Garrin.

[Urson]

Zahra

Agreed. We don't want to leave the possibility of enemies behind us.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri eyes the southern passage critically, then the northern one. He shrugs his shoulders. "Sounds good to me. Arthfael, does any of this look like your map?"

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche agrees inasmuch as we shouldn’t split up.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorzen nods in agreement about checking the lower passage first as he pushes his way back into his usual place in line.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu follows quietly, examining the walls and ceilings and floors for clues.

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

Unhappy with the layout of the area, Soruk stays on his toes and moves into marching order. "Does anyone has't any ideas for a warning system? Broken glass or rubble?"

[Inferno]

Tombs of the Ancients, Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Four. Mid-Morning, 16th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia







The explorers trod onward through the desolate eternities of the ancient tombs.

Xorzen hands his torch to Zahra as they resume their customary formation.

Kiri's voice echoes down the enduring corridors of antiquity: "Arthfael, does any of this look like your map?"

The tattooed shaman unfurls the papyrus fragment recovered from the sundered sarcophagus of the violated crypt.



"No," grunts the barbaric Cimmerian.

Amethu the sorcerer-priest notes the repeating pattern engraved into the ageless stones here...



...the slaves of mighty Xuthalhotep, in rows without number.


Actions?


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:






PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 7/10, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 17/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 18/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 12/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 6(5), HP: 9/9, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 8, HP: 12/12
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 2: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/16, Torch

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All except Amethu and Zahra): All lost HP recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 HP per hour. Duration: "months."

Player Resources:

• The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)
  An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin waits for someone with the appropriate skill in such matters to check the door for traps. If/when it is cleared, he enters the room, sword and shield ready.

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche checks the walls, ceilings, and floors for traps or anything unusual he doesn’t like the look of those kneeling guys in the carving. At least it isn’t taking to him.

[Urson]

Zahra

The Amazon finds herself in a good position, able to watch the cross-corridor and provide protection for the crew. She keeps watch, glancing both directions and listening for any dangers.