Into the Hool

[hedgeknight]

Roan "Paid er not, didn't his durned scroll say us deliverin would loose our lives?"

"Actually, it said whoever releases the creature in the egg will lose their lives," Vilana answers. "But if we just give the box to ol' Sakatha, like we said, like we were paid to do, then who cares what happens after that! We'll be long gone."

[Monsieur Rose]

Cassius

"Look. We can't stay or camp here. Not with that unknown threat just up the hill. Turning away is just as dangerous, the trek back will test us."

He turns to Sai. "I'm not saying we storm the temple, but if there has been a battle, then the security will be at its weakest. We scout, find a place to hole up, and regroup."

"Gag the prisoners and bring them with us. I'm concerned about appearances, and we don't know who is watching or who is in control at the temple. Executing bound prisoners is a bad look."

The Archer looks at the group. "Time to go. I'll lead." Cassius moves to gag the prisoners and talks to Cozar. "You're with me. Show me the way."

[Rex]

Fahima

Fahima nods, "Good plan."

She follows along in her normal spot in the order.

[GreyWolfVT]

Roan "I dunno, all I know is it said somethin' bout tha lives of those that deliver tha gift and loss o' life. Either way getttin paid dun matter much if we're all dead. As fer campin ere I dun think that be a wise plan. We got all sorts a folk at war out ere."

[hedgeknight]

Greyhawk, 586 CY, Readying 20
Southern Hool Swamp, Early Evening, Cool and Foggy
The Temple

In the Hool Swamp near the lair of the lizard king Sakatha, Cassius lays out a plan.
Cassius - "Look. We can't stay or camp here. Not with that unknown threat just up the hill. Turning away is just as dangerous, the trek back will test us."
He turns to Sai. "I'm not saying we storm the temple, but if there has been a battle, then the security will be at its weakest. We scout, find a place to hole up, and regroup."
"Gag the prisoners and bring them with us. I'm concerned about appearances, and we don't know who is watching or who is in control at the temple. Executing bound prisoners is a bad look."
The Archer looks at the group. "Time to go. I'll lead." Cassius moves to gag the prisoners and talks to Cozar. "You're with me. Show me the way."

Fahima agrees, but Roan is reluctant to deliver the package.
Roan "I dunno, all I know is it said somethin' bout tha lives of those that deliver tha gift and loss o' life. Either way getttin paid dun matter much if we're all dead. As fer campin ere I dun think that be a wise plan. We got all sorts a folk at war out ere."
Vilana helps gag the lizard men captives, ties a rope around each one and then jerks them to their feet. She nudges Roan and says, "Help me keep an eye on these three, okay?

Cozar leads the way back up the trail, and before too long, the group comes to a large chamber that is open to the sky. What once was a curtain wall between this chamber and the outer courtyard is now a tattered and torn mess. The outer courtyard is strewn with debris and broken marble pillars. Bodies of lizard men and men from Eor lie about the courtyard; blood and gore are everywhere.
The chamber in which you stand - you guys are the blue smiley face - also shows signs of battle as there are a few bodies of men and lizard men lying here and there.

At the rear of the chamber and in the center is a large statue of a powerful, demonic being you have not seen before, crouched and open-mouthed (as if unleashing a terrible, threatening scream). The statue is not free-standing, but rather a bas-relief carved into the reach stone wall.

demonic figure.jpg (10.1 KiB) Viewed 787 times

The walls on each side are decorated with shell mosaics. One shows a great battle between lizard men and humans, with the men taking the worst of it. The other shows a hideous, huge lizard man with a gem-encrusted scepter kneeling before the same demonic figure depicted in the bas-relief. In front of the bas-relief is a large, smooth stone, about three feet high and eight feet long. It is deeply stained.
Three pools are in the floor of the room. Each is about 10' across. The pools appear to be covered with a scummy green algae.

From somewhere below, you hear a muffled roar and the ground under your feet trembles.
You see nothing living in this chamber or in the courtyard, only the dead.

Actions?


PC Stats:
Cassius - AC -1/3, HP 37/39
Fahima - AC 4/8, HP 18/21
Gordansk - AC 5, HP 10/15
Roan - AC 5/6, HP 27/36
Sai - AC -2/4, HP 27/30
Zan - AC 9, HP 11/11
Vilana - AC 7/9, HP 11/11, THACO 20
Cozar - 12/23

[Spearmint]

Gordansk

Shares any insight he may have gained here:

I will go to one of the deceased lizardmen of Sakatha's group and cast Speak with the Dead over him. The spirit summoned won't lie while the captive ones might.

I want to ask about what sort of Undead or demon Sakatha actually is and how long he has been in that condition.

in case that helps us discern or prepare better.

The plinth looks an obvious sacrificial altar. My first instinct might be to hood the bas relief in some Hessian sack so that any glare it has may not dominate the antechamber.

[GreyWolfVT]

Roan silently nods agreeing to help watch the 'prisoners of war' and only mutters about what he thinks of the statue. "Ug, an ugly one that be." he refers by only pointing one stubby thumb towards the statue.

[Rex]

Fahima

Fahima moves along the walls, counterclockwise from the entrance looking for secret doors. Staff sling at the ready.

[hedgeknight]

Gordansk

I will go to one of the deceased lizardmen of Sakatha's group and cast Speak with the Dead over him. The spirit summoned won't lie while the captive ones might.

I want to ask about what sort of Undead or demon Sakatha actually is and how long he has been in that condition.

in case that helps us discern or prepare better.

My bad, Spearmint > I completely overlooked this.
Also...are you speaking draconic or is Zan translating for you?

[hedgeknight]

Fahima moves along the walls, counterclockwise from the entrance looking for secret doors. Staff sling at the ready.

"There is a secret passage in the floor behind the altar. That is how we were taken to the lower levels where Sakatha was waiting," Cozar says.

[Rex]

Fahima

Fahima nods to Cozar and moves to cover the area he indicates in case it opens up.

[hedgeknight]

Fahima nods to Cozar and moves to cover the area he indicates in case it opens up.

When Fahima gets to the spot, she can see a section of the floor is slightly ajar; from below comes the dull sounds of a skirmish.

[Rex]

Fahima

Just loud enough for the others to hear, "I can hear fighting below, something is going on down there."

[Spearmint]

Gordansk

Only speaks common. I was hoping a lizardman might be more educated than I. Did not any speak or shout in battle, those who talked and then we killed.

I am fine translating but it just slows the number of questions down. Basically want to know what sort of undead. A vampire, a demon, a Lich?

[gurusql]

Zan

After Zan helps Gordansk he will cast Know Time on the demonic bas relief hoping to figure out how old this is.

[GreyWolfVT]

Roan being a veteran of war sighs hearing that there is a skirmish going on at their most likely next destination "There always is more fightin ain't there. I'm begginin' ta wonder if tha fightin ever really stops."

[hedgeknight]

Gordansk I am fine translating but it just slows the number of questions down. Basically want to know what sort of undead. A vampire, a demon, a Lich?

Zan After Zan helps Gordansk he will cast Know Time on the demonic bas relief hoping to figure out how old this is.

Gordansk casts his spell on one of the dead lizardmen and with Zan's help, they discover Sakatha is some rare form of vampire who made a pact with a demon to gain his unusual powers and the gift of unlife.

Zan's spell reveals the bas relief to be about 200 years old.

[Monsieur Rose]

Cassius

He concurs with Roan. "Seems to be the way of the world, doesn't it?" Cassius shrugs and points to the trap door. "Let's open it a bit more. Carefully. See if we can hear or see what's going on."


"You lift, I'll shoot. Deal?" He nods to Roan and readies his bow.

[Rex]

Fahima

Fahima moves so she can shoot down the stairs with her staff-sling with Cassius.

[GreyWolfVT]

Roan nods his head and lifts. "Fine by me. I'll hold it open fer ya."