Chapter 21: The Caverns of Thracia

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cruloc rubs his arm, remembering Grigor's arrow piercing his flesh the previous day.

"Hnh. Piety to some Zamoran godling is no ward against karma."

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will also back up as the ropes tension becomes dangerously taught.

[Paladin]

Iago Vazquez de Quesada

Iago presses forward, helping to shield his comrade from further attack by the giant bat. If the bridge is still dangerously taut beneath the weight of just two, he will pause and allow Grigor to get ahead and space out the burden on the old ropes.

[Inferno]

Beneath the Forbidden City of the Dead, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Nine. Morning. 19th day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Deep in the bowels of the earth, Grigor frees the javelin from his back and hurls it at the gigantic bat! The Verulian missile arcs wide and plunges down into the black abyss!

Heavily outnumbered, the winged monstrosity retreats...



...and Grigor hacks it asunder in mid-air! Its crimson remains are swallowed up by the waiting darkness below!

The adventurers breath a sigh of relief. As Amethu and Kiri retreat from the precarious platform, Dahinna boards it.

Then suddenly a shout breaks the stillness and, from the darkness to the north and east, spears fly!



In the deadly crossfire of razor sharp missiles, Grigor and Iago are somehow only gashed, across cheekbone and swordhand! (2hp and 1hp damage, respectively!)

A figure steps from the shadows in the northern tunnel. (T1)



He speaks in a foreign tongue, a dead language that was old before the Hyborian Age began.

Amethu knows it be Ancient Atlantean! He and Kiri understand the warrior when he growls:
"Thracians, let us welcome our guests to the Underworld... with a beautiful death."

From behind him, and to the east (toward "?"), as if in one voice, comes the deep throated roar of men.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible, all else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Between rounds: Being heavily outnumbers triggers a morale check for B1:
B1: morale check: (7): [2d6]=10 Fails.
Initiative: Party: [1d6]=6, Monsters: [1d6]=4 Party wins.
When bat retreats, Grigor gets a free opportunity attack:
Grigor: Opportunity attack: [1d20+2]=18+2=20, damage: [1d8+2]=7+2=9 Hits for 9!
From north: Two spears at Grigor: [1d20]=18, [1d20]=20, damage: [1d6]=1, [1d6]=1 Both hit. No critical hits in this game.
From east: Spears at Grigor, Iago and Dahinna: [1d20]=8, [1d20]=19, [1d20]=1, damage: [1d6]=4, [1d6]=1, [1d6]=6 Iago hit. No fumbles in this game.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 7/7 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 44/45, Torch
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 17/19
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 21/29, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Iago: Zingaran Southman Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 29/32
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Torch, at crossroads
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 26/29
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 71 rounds.

Player Resources:

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

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

"Crom's hairy ballsack!" the Zamoran hisses when the voices sound in the darkness. She hesitates, then hurries up behind Iago, leaning against him, feeling somewhat safer if only for a moment.
"What have we gotten ourselves into, lover?"

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Hauls back his hound to heel behind him while he kisses one of his holy trinkets and calls upon a dozen gods to shield him. He invokes a Sanctuary spell upon himself and blockades the spearmen's passage along the rope bridge from the north.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Crom's ballsack?!"

In lieu of pearls, Cruloc clutches at the necklace of teeth - animal and otherwise - strung around his corded neck. A Zamoran - a woman no less! - remarking on Crom's sudoric genitalia.

"Such a mouth!" he observes with indignation. "Such a mouth," he adds lasciviously. For the first time, Dahinna stirs his interest.

[ChubbyPixie]

Seeing Grigor blocking the north way, Kiri shouts "To the east. I'll see you there."

He eats a live spider from his component pouch, then jumps off the side of the bridge.

He casts Spider Climb, then clings to the underside of the bridge with the intention (next round) of scuttling around the bend to the east under cover of the bridge to eventually pop up for a "surprise attack."

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra looks off into the darkness- and inspiration strikes. Inferno: I know this may take multiple rounds. consider it an action plan.
She kneels, digging out her tinderbox. She wraps a rag around one of her javelins, near the head- then sets the rag on fire and throws the javelin toward the voices to the east, aiming high.

[Paladin]

Iago Vazquez de Quesada

"A damned mess," Iago admits. "I can't advance in the dark and can't retreat into a packed corridor." He steels himself, sword and dagger drawn, and faces down the eastern bridge. "We'll try to block their passage," he calls to the others. "Fill them with arrows and javelins as they come."

[ravenn4544]

Amethu curses quietly, trapped, with little options before them. With little to loose, he shouts across the cavern in an ancient language, "Might Thracians! Civilization of Legend! We mean no trespass! A quest for ancient knowledge - to rekindle the memory of noble Thracia!"

What do they have to loose....

[Inferno]

Beneath the Forbidden City of the Dead, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Nine. Morning. 19th day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Another roar of warriors from the darkness heralds a second volley of spears, shrilling through the air, hurtling down upon the explorers before they can react!

The lethal swarm of missiles hums all around Grigor as he prays to a dozen gods to protect him, but his faithful hound is impaled!



Hot blood sprays from a ghastly wound! (6hp damage!)

The young lovers, Dahinna and Iago, miraculously escape the onslaught with only minor lacerations! (1hp damage each!) They close ranks behind Grigor as he completes his devout orisons.

Then, without a word, the giant Kiri Khutan leaps over the side of the bridge and disappears!

Inside the southern tunnel, shielded from the thicket of whistling spears, Zahra wraps the spearhead of her javelin in a rag and sets it alight!

Behind her, Amethu calls out in Ancient Atlantean, his voice echoing from the stone passageway: "Mighty Thracians! Civilization of Legend! We mean no trespass! A quest for ancient knowledge - to rekindle the memory of noble Thracia!"

The spearman out of lost antiquity (T1) snarls with black joy, "We have no memory. Thracia is a graveyard and we are her Dead. There is nothing for you in the Underworld except Death! Come forward that we may impart Its blessings upon you!"





Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible, all else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=2, Monsters: [1d6]=5 Monsters win.
From north: Two more spears at Grigor: [1d20]=13, [1d20]=13, damage: [1d6]=4, [1d6]=1 Both miss!
From east: Spears at Gnasher, Iago and Dahinna: [1d20]=11, [1d20]=16, [1d20]=16, damage: [1d6]=6, [1d6]=1, [1d6]=1 All three are hit.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 7/7 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 44/45, Torch
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/19
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 21/29, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Iago: Zingaran Southman Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/32
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Torch, at crossroads
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 26/29, Flaming spearhead
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 5/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 70 rounds.
Sanctuary (Grigor): Duration: 5 rounds.
Spider Climb (Kiri): Duration: 4 rounds

Player Resources:

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

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri scuttles forward under the bridge, turning east at the intersection. He wills Grandfather to move east as well, 30' further ahead, torch held aloft as he goes.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra continues her plan. Wonderful! More undead.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Hears the acclamation of the Thracian mob and reaches for one of his holy symbols, an ancient ankh design made of iron. He forces it in front of him and steps forward towards the phalanx of spearmen, cursing them with divine wrath and ordering then to dissipate into the shadows.

He tries to Turn Undead.

Grigor Turns Undead [1d20]=14 [1d12]=8

[ravenn4544]

Amethu focuses of the Thracian warrior at the front. He gauges the distance to be just enough. He casts charm person on T1

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

Wincing at the sharp slice of the spear head, Dahinna looks around frantically, knowing they either retreat or charge. "We can't just stand here! We'll get shredded! We need to move > forward or back? Pick one and let's go!"

[Paladin]

Iago Vazquez de Quesada

"This is my best shirt, you fool!" Iago snarls as the blade slashes his sleeve and leaves a bright red line. He sighs. "Aye, so I see," he tells Dahinna. "I had hoped they'd come out and we could bottle them up on the bridge, but it would seem they are not so foolish."

He grins and advances behind the holy man. "Had I a torch, we'd go the other way, but I will not face these fiends in total darkness. So I must remain near the god-botherer."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cruloc waits to see what the leaders decide to do. He keeps careful watch on their escape route.

[Inferno]

Thanks for the clarification, Bluetongue. Onward!