Chapter 13: Underground City of the Demon God

[SocraticLawyer]

Grunting through the pain, Garrin attacks the chieftain again.

To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7; lg - [1d12+1] = 1+1 = 2

The pain causes him to swing wide.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen finds himself in a very precarious spot with the quick advance of the beastmen. He hurriedly scurries up the 7' tall raised section of the bridge next to him to use the elevated platform as higher ground.

Climb Walls [1d100] = 48

If he still has time after the climb, he stabs his magic javelin into the closest grey head he can reach. (B13 or B11)

Attack w/ +2 Javelin of Men-khetu [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4 Dam [1d6+3] = 5+3 = 8

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra charges ahead to engage the beasts on the bridge.

att [1d20+4] = 2+4 = 6

[ChubbyPixie]

Seeing his enchanted arrow merely graze the bat-mount, Kiri opts instead to take aim at its rider this time (P2).
Attack with Short Bow and +2 Arrows (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+2] = 20+2 = 22 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5, vs. Lg: [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6
Attack with Short Bow and +2 Arrows (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8, vs. Lg: [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako moves up behind Kiri keep a safe distance of 20 feet between them.

[Inferno]

The Underground City, the Vast Subterranean Caverns Beneath the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Seven. Midnight?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





After breaking through the enemy's defenses, their ambushes and their traps, the outlanders and the Verulians of the upper Pyramid lay siege upon the underground city and the inhuman forces of Zargoth!

The invisible conjurer Mako gains the bridge, slowly creeping closer and closer to the heart of a raging maelstrom of blood and steel!

Behind him, on the eastern cliff, Amethu hammers a great bat steed (B1) with the legendary Staff of Uthoth, the traditional symbol of authority for every pharaoh of Verulia for over 3000 years! It would seem its authority is not recognized in this subterranean realm. The monstrous beast screeches with fury as its rider readies his spear to attack!



Nearby, Loche the Pict tries to mount one of the great chiropterans, but is kicked back by its savage rider (B3)!

Across the bottomless chasm, Xorzen too seeks higher ground! The invisible monk scales an ancient cyclopean monolith, fingers and toes finding purchase in the carved hieroglyphs of the long dead civilization. Ascending the obelisk, Xorzen readies his javelin to strike unseen!

Beneath him, the strange shambling hawk-masked figure unexpectedly strikes again with a golden bludgeon from out of time immemorial! His foe is astonished by this show of resistance from an underdweller and cannot raise his ax in time to save himself! Tjoruy of Osorus smites his enemy (B12), shattering a sloping skull into gore splattered shards!



At the center of the bridge, Kiri nocks more blessed arrows from the treasure vault of Xuthalhotep and takes aim at a horrifically masked sorcerer-priest of Zargoth! (P2) From atop his flying steed, the fell wizard begins weaving another deadly spell when suddenly a low tone is heard and an arrow shaft blossoms upon his chest, late of Kiri's bow! The missile sinks to the feathers, replacing the spell on his lips with bright blood, disrupting his magicks and wounding him grievously!

Zahra dodges a batrider's deadly spear thrust and charges across the bridge, past Kiri, to Garrin's aid! An immense beastman assailing the Atlantean paladin evades her attack! Garrin too, cannot land a blow, the blood from his scalp spoiling his vision!

Atop their hellish steeds, the three masked priests recite arcane words of power devised before the breaking of Atlantis and Verulia!



One arcanist (P1) is surprised to discover that no sound emanates from his lips! Another's eldritch equation of sorceries dark are interrupted by Kiri's arrow in his chest (P2)! But the third (P3) completes his fell incantation and suddenly, impossibly, Kiri feels an invisible spectral dagger sink into his flesh! (5hp damage!)

The bestial spearmen atop the great flapping bat monsters (B1-3) whirl to attack and Mako narrowly ducks beneath a vast wingspan (of B2), to avoid being unknowingly battered into the bottomless chasm below! Wicked longspears stab and pierce without mercy! (-3hp, -4hp and -6hp to Amethu, Kiri and Loche respectively!)

Behind the lines, the pale stranger Tjoruy is lacerated by the stone ax head (-3hp) of a beastman (B13) enraged at the hubris of a mere underdweller!

While at the front line, Garrin of Argos somehow finds the strength to beat back the ferocious strikes of ax and club from the most powerful of the bestial, devolved men! (B4, B5)

But beside him, Zahra the amazon is too intent on dealing death to evade it. A stone axe (of B6) sinks deep into her hip, with enough strength to kill a man; biting deep, grazing bone and gushing blood! (-8hp!) Her brutish attacker roars with triumph!


Actions?!


Map:

One PC marker = 5 feet.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 6, Monsters: [1d6] = 1 Party wins.
Climbing the pylon is Xorzen's action.
Zahra departs her melee with B2 so he gets a free opportunity attack...
B2 opportunity attack on Zahra: [1d20] = 9, damage: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3 Misses.
P3: Magic Missile at Kiri: [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2, [1d4+1] = 2+1 = 3 5hp damage.
Mako: Dex Save to avoid B2's bat! (17): [1d20] = 17 Just makes it!
B1, B2 attack Amethu and Kiri: [1d20] = 19, [1d20] = 16, damage: [1d6+] = 3 Amethu hit for 3hp.
B2 damage to Kiri: [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4 Kiri hit for 4hp damage.
B3 attacks Loche: [1d20] = 15, damage: [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6 Loche hit for 6hp.
B4, B5 attack Garrin: [1d20] = 11, [1d20] = 8, damage: [1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5, [2d4+1] = 4+1 = 5 Both miss!
B6, B13 attack Zahra and Tjoruy: [1d20] = 18, [1d20] = 15, damage: [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8, [1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3 Both hit. Zahra takes 8hp damage. Tjoruy takes 3.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 11/14, Spells: 3/7 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 9/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 2/14, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 10/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Invisible
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 28/31
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16, Invisible
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 10/21

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, Tjoruy and Zahra have breathed of the mists): 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."
  Invisibility x2 (Mako): Targets: self and Xorzen
  Silence, 15' Radius (Amethu): Target: One foot behind P1. Duration: 4 rounds

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)

[ChubbyPixie]

Sometimes, when all depends on the focused action of a gravely wounded hero, the hero gathers his will and strikes unerringly, against all odds, as if fate had decreed a glorious outcome should come to pass. And sometimes he whiffs it:
Attack with Two-Handed Sword (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+3] = 1+3 = 4 Damage vs. s/m: [1d10+6] = 9+6 = 15, vs. Lg: [3d6+6] = 9+6 = 15
Dropping his bow and drawing his sword from his back, Kiri knows instantly that his blow will not land, and wonders if this flailing error will be his last action here on Oerth. “Grandfather,” is all he is heard to say.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako runs up to Kiri current position and utters "Protect me!" to his fellow Easterner before his speech devolves into an archaic magical language and deep concentration.
Casts Phantasm Force
The beast creatures on the bridge see the world around them shake violently throwing off their sense of balance. Looking down at their footing they view large fissures forming and breaking away the ground beneath them. With nothing holding them to this plane they feel their own weight pulling them down as they plummet helplessly into the abyss.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu struggles to hit the bat thing and instead resorts to his ancient magic to burn the beast with the fire of the ages.

Cast burning hands at B1

[Pulpatoon]

Tjoruy: "Bronze Osorus, deliver me from the worms of Zargoth, which feed upon the bodies of men and drink their blood!"

Mace attack: [1d20+2] = 15+2 = 17; dmg: [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5 aimed at B13.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin attacks one of the large beastmen (B4).

To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 5+1 = 6; lg - [1d12+1] = 5+1 = 6

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen attempts to jab his prized javelin into the head of the nearest beastman below him on the bridge. B11?

Attack w/ +2 Javelin of Men-khetu [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15 Dam [1d6+3] = 4+3 = 7

[Scott308]

Loche

Pulling his jeweled dagger, the Pict again attempts to leap onto the bat-like creature, this time hoping the steel will bite and give him purchase.

Jeweled Dagger +1/ +2 vs. Undead (20): [1d20+1] = 10+1 = 11; Damage: [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4; Damage, Large: [1d3+1] = 3+1 = 4
Dexterity check (16): [1d20] = 8

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra's muttered curses rise in volume, becoming a catlike scream as she attacks (B6).

att [1d20+4] = 4+4 = 8

[Inferno]

The Underground City, the Vast Subterranean Caverns Beneath the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Seven. Midnight?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






For thousands of years, the exalted priesthood of Zargoth has fought and died for their dark master in this Stygian sunless realm. Tonight shall be no different.

The one wizard engulfed in Amethu's sorcerous silence (P1) struggles to get his bat under control as he steers him down, closer to the bridge.

Then, from behind frightful masks that evoke the horror and dread of the outlanders' reoccurring nightmares, the sorcerer-priests snarl in an archaic dialect of Ancient Verulian, "Where is yon filthy barbarian conjurer of tricks!"
"He must be here! T'was prophesied by great Zargoth! We shalt find him!"
"He is the true threat and must be destroyed!"

Then, as one, they chant forbidden syllables of sorcerous deviltry.



Meanwhile, the savage brutes whose ancestors had once been civilized men roar and howl as they rampage forward with a fury that makes their inhuman faces even more hellish!

But the invaders stand resolute! Unyielding, they beat back the ferocious attack with shields and weapons and will in a clash of steel and stone! Of them, only Loche is injured (-5hp) by the thrusting long spear of a mounted brute! (B3)

Then the priesthood ends its arcane orisons and are gifted with the all-seeing sight of Zargoth! From the air, they scan the ground with mystic vision, and cry in anger, "There he is, brothers!" "On the bridge!" "Kill him!"

Feeling their dread, otherworldly eyes upon him, Mako desperately lunges forward and utters "Protect me!" to his fellow Easterner before his speech ascends into the ancient magical language of the distant East, and his mind into deep concentration!

Suddenly, Mako appears out of thin air! And then, to the savage, swarming foes, the towering bridge falls away beneath their feet in a soundless earthquake! They and the massive stones of the natural rock formation tumble down into the bottomless abyss as the primitive beastmen scream and howl, arms wildly flailing for purchase, trying to grab onto Garrin and Tjoruy to save their lives from certain death!



All except three, including two of the largest primordial men! (B5, B6, B13) They seem to know what has happened, their kin writhing and thrashing at their feet, stricken by phantom terrors of the mind.

On the eastern cliff, Amethu weaves his own spell and suddenly, his foe and its winged mount (B1) are engulfed by flames that roars from his fingertips!



The fur of the monstrous bat catches fire, consuming it and its rider in a ravenous conflagration!

Nearby, Loche spins past a spearhead, slashes his jeweled dagger wide and leaps up onto his enemy's mount, straddling the great chiropteran's neck; in too close for the beastman to use his long spear!

Across the crevasse, Tjoruy and Xorzen pierce and bludgeon the only beastman left standing on the western cliff (B13). The stabbing of flesh and the crunching of bone almost drown out the roars of pain and wrath that finally die in the savage's throat. The ape-man slumps to the ground in a growing pool of its own hot blood.

Suddenly, Tjoruy sees Xorzen standing right next to him; a hawk masked disciple with a crimson-tipped javelin!

On the bridge, Zahra's grievous wounds spoil her aim. To her back, the arc of Kiri's great sword is inhibited by a stone obelisk. But Garrin's sword glances off the slanted skull of the huge beastman chieftain (B5), taking an ear with it!


Actions?!


Map:

One PC marker = 5 feet. X = Dead. S = Stricken.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 2, Monsters: [1d6] = 3 Monsters win.
P1: Int Save (15): [1d20] = 6 Succeeds. Figures out to try and leave AOE for Silence Spell.
B1, B3 attack Amethu and Loche: [1d20] = 2, [1d20] = 20, damage: [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6, [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5 B1 misses Amethu. B3 hits Loche for 5hp damage. There are no critical hits or fumbles in this game.
B2, B6 attack Kiri and Zahra: [1d20] = 8, [1d20] = 5, damage: [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2, [1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5 Both miss.
B10, B13 attack Tjoruy: [1d20] = 8, [1d20] = 5, damage: [1d8+1] = 5+1 = 6, [1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9 Both miss.
B4, B5 attack Garrin: [1d20] = 6, [1d20] = 3, damage: [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8, [2d4+1] = 3+1 = 4 Both miss!
Beastmen get a Save vs Mako's spell because they were forewarned by the prophecies of all-seeing Zargoth.
B4, B5, B6, B7 Save vs Spells (17):[1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 18, [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 13 B5 and B6 both save.
B8, B9, B10, B11: Save vs Spells (17):[1d20] = 10, [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 2 All fail.
B13: Save vs Spells (17): [1d20] = 19 Saves.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 11/14, Spells: 2/7 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 9/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 2/14, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 5/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 28/31
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 10/21

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, Tjoruy and Zahra have breathed of the mists): 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."
  Silence, 15' Radius (Amethu): Location: NE corner of map. Duration: 3 rounds
  Phantasmal Force (Mako): Targets: B4-13. Duration: as long as Mako holds his concentration.

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)

[ravenn4544]

Amethu struggles past the smell and taste of burning fur and flesh beneath his Verulian mask. He sees an opening as the beast struggles in the fire...

To Hit (THACO 20): [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20
Staff of Uthoth - Damage: = S/M/L: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

[Pulpatoon]

Tjoruy boggles at the sudden appearance of a hawk-masked companion. "Harbinger of Osorus! Keeper of Rites! Dispenser of Justice! Thous stepest out of air and into the forgotten dark!"

Seeing that the beastmen near him are down, he ducks behind a stone block where he has some coverage from missile fire, and sits down, skinny legs akimbo, and begins to muttering to himself to himself with rhythmic insistence.

Tjoruy casts Chant. His intention is to stay out of combat in order to maintain concentration upon the spell.

EDIT: He then hops up, realizing he'll never be able to concentrate amid all this tumult! Instead, seeing one of his strange, new, Osorus-sent companions is injured. He runs to Kiri Kuhtan's side.

Should he reach Kiri, he casts Cure Light Wounds for...Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 6

He pushes one of the stricken beastmen off the bridge (B10, maybe?).

[Scott308]

Loche

Loche grins at the beast in front of him. Die, ye hackit son o' a boot! the Pict growls, stabbing at it with his dagger.

Jeweled Dagger +1/ +2 vs. Undead (20): [1d20+1] = 11+1 = 12; Damage: [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5; Damage, Large: [1d3+1] = 3+1 = 4

[ChubbyPixie]

Letting his sword tumble to the ground rather than try to recover it after his wild swing, Kiri whisks the Claw of Chlobek from his back and in one continuous motion thrusts the enchanted trident into the maw of the rider's bat mount:

Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 18+4 = 22 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8] = 3+8 = 11, vs. Lg: [3d4+7] = 9+7 = 16

"I will protect you, Maako. Stay close - I don't think the priests like you," he says to his fellow mage. It seems he may be making a joke, but in all the tumult and gore it's hard to tell...

[Urson]

Zahra

att [1d20+4] = 19+4 = 23
Sword vs sm, med [1d8+5] = 6+5 = 11

Zahra attacks (B6) again, her blade striking solidly.