Chapter 3: The Civilization That Time Forgot

[Starbeard]

Attila

Roan grits his teeth and shoves Arthfael away from him. "Spit on me again and I'll bloody my spear some more by making you a new asshole! You're just as crazy as this addled bastard!"

Once he hears the screams coming from up ahead, he runs forward, giving Arthfael and anyone else the finger as he approaches Attila. "What do you see? Where are the screams from?" he asks.

"Up there, around the corner, I imagine," says Attila, waving a hand casually down the eastern corridor. "I cannot see anything. They must be overreacting, though. I have a good feeling about this place."

He walks forward and looks around the corner to see what all the fuss is about.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako follows behind Locke to investigate the screams from around the corner.

[Inferno]

North of the Secret Shrine of the Oracle of Osorus (3)
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day One. Evening. 13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Gronda the savage bolts through the darkening hallway and joins up with the others just in time to see them forge deeper into the mysterious, winding channels of the great pyramid.

corridor.jpg (246.28 KiB) Viewed 3943 times

Following the echoing shrieks, the explorers turn another corner onto a shocking scene.

The monstrous, primordial ape-men have reached this level!



Also white of hair and red of eye, the powerful, brutish creatures invade the ornate corridor from an open door, ambushing the bizarre, animal-masked strangers with primitive clubs, spears and stone axes (N1-6).

Roan's torchlight reveals the mangled bodies of Toad and Fox. Bloody and unmoving, they lie face up on the ancient stones at the beastmen's feet. Fox's mask has been shattered, exposing her true visage, chillingly serene and dreamlike in unconsciousness... or death.



Hare and Wolf (H and W) ineffectively try to mount a defense against the ferocious onslaught of the proto-men.



But Stag (S) merely stands impassive among the slaughter, like grain waiting for the scythe.

Just beyond the massacre come two more figures (O1, O2). Also animal-masked, and pale of flesh, but a far cry from the others.



Forged of iron, their twin hawk masks are more like golden great helms, as intricately etched as their half plate. They wield arming swords with certainty. Their voices and movements are further stark departures from Monkey and his kin; clear, determined, purposeful.
"Defend thyself, antler'd one!"
"Fight, man! In the name of Osorus, what possesses thee?" they shout at Stag as they close with the savage simians from beyond the history of Man.


Actions?


Map:

Pyramid Tier 2.23.jpg (474.82 KiB) Viewed 3943 times

One square = 10 feet. Monsters not currently in sight of a PC are depicted in their last known location.
Factions: PCs: brown. Stag, Hare, etc.: black. Neanderthal Morlocks: blue. Hawk-helmed Warriors: gold





PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 7/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 1: AC 1, HP 11/12
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: AC 5, HP 15/18, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 14/17
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: AC 4, HP 3/7, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 15/18, Torch
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 5/6, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: AC 4, HP 22/23, Torch

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Invisibility (Biblo): Ingested one dose of potion. Duration: unknown.
  Hypnosis (Mako): Arthfael, Attila, Roan, Stag and Toad. Duration: 1 round.

PC Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako backs up to the corner of the hallway to make room for anyone fleeing or advancing into battle. He screams at the senseless slaughter.
"No stop! They are harmless! Animal people flee! Flee this way. We will not hurt you anymore. Curse you barbarian! Their blood is on your hands, savage!"

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

Garrin wades in to defend the masked ones from the simian assault. If capable, he thrusts his blade into the belly of the nearest beastman.

To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7; lg - [1d12+1] = 12+1 = 13

[Zhym]

Arthfael moves up the hall to see what the ruckus is about.

Inferno: has the "no violence" suggestion expired?

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda rushes forward 70 feet to where the noises of battle can be heard. Standing tightly in the northeast corner of the hall, she draws her bow back again and awaits the movement of the others before firing, not wanting to hit an ally.

She ponders the words of Mako, not sure what to make of them yet.

[hedgeknight]

Mako backs up to the corner of the hallway to make room for anyone fleeing or advancing into battle. He screams at the senseless slaughter.
"No stop! They are harmless! Animal people flee! Flee this way. We will not hurt you anymore. Curse you barbarian! Their blood is on your hands, savage!"

"Savage? Hell, you ain't seen nothing yet! Keep yer ass out of the way while you play with yerself and let the rest of us do the fighting."

Roan steps up and hurls his spear at N1.
Spear attack: [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10, [1d6] = 5

"Attila! Gronda! With me!"
Roan drops his torch and unslings the bastard sword on his back and will wade in gleefully.

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, sophistisword

It's no use, now is about survival and conquest. Kill or be killed. I steady my nerves; must keep calm and level.

Thanking Ibis for keeping me sight unseen, I draw my bow, nock an arrow and move ahead toward the sounds of battle echoing from ahead.

[ChubbyPixie]

Unable to get up to the front, and, at any rate, not feeling particularly up to the task, Kiri stows his hand axe and draws his trident, readying himself in case one of the warriors in front of him should fall. "You hear the metal warrior? They're with Osorus - like us, I suppose, like it or not," he says calmly over the din of close quarters combat.

[Inferno]

The Second Tier of the Great Pyramid of the Lost City
The Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day One. Evening. 13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia

beast man.jpg (86.39 KiB) Viewed 3901 times

Within the towering achievement of Man's greatest civilization, subhuman progenitors from the darkest depths of Man's primitive ancestry wreak havoc with bloodthirsty abandon.

A vicious battle erupts in the tight quarters of the pyramid corridor, with Roan's torch as its only light source. The other adventurers come running as Mako of Khitai screams at the slaughter, "No! Stop! They are harmless! Animal people, flee! Flee this way. We will not hurt you anymore. Curse you barbarian! Their blood is on your hands, savage!"

Stag, Hare and Wolf (S,H,W) comply, flying back the way they came, pushing past the lost explorers and barreling down upon unseen Biblo and Loche. The surprised Pict draws his bone dagger at the sight of the bizarre advance!

Roan the barbarian growls, "Savage? Hell, you ain't seen nothing yet!"
The big, northern warrior rears back with his spear, readying to mercilessly impale his enemies. And suddenly...

...freezes!

Something is wrong. Roan cannot control his actions! A powerful compulsion in his mind forbids the Vanir barbarian from throwing his spear!

Mako of Khitai... hastily weaves an enchantment to beguile and enthrall the minds of men.



"Please friends, do no more harm. No violence! No violence!"

Arthfael, Atilla and Roan fall under his spell... All three cannot bring themselves to commit further violence.

PC Magic:

• Hypnosis (Mako): Arthfael, Attila, Roan, Stag and Toad. Duration: 1 round.

Sorry.

Atilla the barbarian also hesitates in his fierce onslaught!

Unfortunately, their bestial enemies share no such compunction. They spring like wild panthers.
With a guttural roar, a squat, brutish monstrosity (N3) bludgeons Atilla with primitive ferocity! (-8hp!) The Hyrkanean nomad hears ribs crack as his mouth fills with hot blood and bile.
Roan's subhuman foe swings reckless and wide, apparently fooled by the barbarian's "feint." Garrin's sword clashes overhead against a massive club, sparing the paladin's life but spoiling his own attack.

Twin warriors in golden armor and hawk masks join the fray, forming a second front against the nearly human creatures.



Bare arms and thighs (unlike the picture) revealing more bone-white flesh, the glimmering swordsmen attack! One (O1) drives his sword to the hilt in a man-ape's belly (N4), disemboweling him in one thrust. The beastman howls in sudden agony as steaming entrails and blood gush out in a crimson deluge.

Before the hawk-masked fighter (O1) can pull his sword free from his dead enemy, another powerful, pale brute attacks him! (N5) The fell swing of a savage club smashes his golden mask clean off...

...with his head still in it.



His hawk-masked twin, already wounded, doesn't seem to react as his kin's decapitated body (O1) collapses to the ancient, blood drenched stones.


Meanwhile, to the west, Stag, Hare and Wolf suddenly start shrieking.
Loche the Pict mutters, "Whit the bloody hell now?" as he turns to see what they're pointing at.

A large shadow looms around the corner. The fearsome, creeping shadow of the gigantic mother tarantula!




Actions?
Mako's hypnosis spell is ended. Arthfael, Atilla and Roan (and Stag) have free will again.


Map:

Pyramid Tier 2.24.jpg (477.77 KiB) Viewed 3897 times

One square = 10 feet. Monsters not currently in sight of a PC are depicted in their last known location.
Factions: PCs: brown. Stag, Hare, Wolf: black. Neanderthal Morlocks: blue. Hawk-helmed Warriors: gold.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative; Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 5, Hawks: [1d6] = 5, Stag, Hare, etc: [1d6] = 5 Party acts last.
Beastmen attack Roan and Garrin: [1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 8, damage: [2d4+1] = 3+1 = 4, [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6 Both miss.
Beastmen attack Atilla and O1: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 20, damage: [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8, [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8 Both hit.
Beastmen attack O1 and O2: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 16, damage: [2d4+1] = 4+1 = 5, [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6 Both hit.
O1 and O2 attack Beastmen: [1d20] = 18, [1d20] = 3: damage: [1d8] = 8, [1d8] = 5 One hits.

PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 7/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 1: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 3/12
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: Move: 6", AC: 3, HP: 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 5, HP: 15/18, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/17
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 3/7, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 15/18, Torch
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 5/6, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 22/23, Torch

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Invisibility (Biblo): Ingested one dose of potion. Duration: unknown.

PC Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Confused at his inability to attack, the barbarian shakes his head of the hypnotic cobwebs, and tries to cut down the savage in front of him. Bastard sword: [1d20+3] = 5+3 = 8, [2d4+4] = 8+4 = 12

"Crom's balls!" the barbarian curses. "Some diabolical spell has weakened us for sure!"

[Starbeard]

Attila looks upon his assailant, unable to determine why he had not noticed previously just how vile and odorous the thing was. He spits in its face and drives forward with his javelin.

Javelin thrust (ThAC0 20) [1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10, [1d6] = 4

[Mant72]

Garrin avoids the beastman's viscious strike and attempts to counter by slashing open the beast's belly.

To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 1+1 = 2; lg - [1d12+1] = 11+1 = 12

[ChubbyPixie]

If Kiri can find enough room to poke through the scrum ahead of him with his trident to strike an ape-man he'll do so:

Attack with Trident (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20] = 14 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5, vs. Lg: [3d4] = 7
Whoops - forgot to include Strength bonuses to hit and for damage. That would make it 17 to hit and 11 (!) damage...

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako flees with the animal people to ensure there safety.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda winces when she sees the massive spider appear from around the corner, sure that she would have been eaten by the thing had she not run away from its hole just a few moments before.

She tries to plug the monster with more of her arrows, deliberately shooting them over the heads of the masked lunatic lotus eaters.

Attack w/ Longbow [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19 Damage [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4 [1d20+1] = 10+1 = 11 Damage [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5

"Look to the corner, fools!!! Now fight for your lives if you ever want to escape this hell!!!"

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, sagesword

Trapped between dangers! I move ahead, thankful for the invisibility, carefully moving beyond stag, hare and wolf.

"The spider comes!" I say to those ahead.

I keep arrow nocked, but hold off firing as it would spoil my invisibility. Hoping the spider will attack stag, hare and wolf.

[Zhym]

Arthfael digs into his pack and pulls a flask of oil out. He reaches back to throw it...

Thrown oil: [1d20] = 1

...but something bad happens instead.

[Inferno]

Arthfael digs into his pack and pulls a flask of oil out. He reaches back to throw it...

Thrown oil: [1d20] = 1

...but something bad happens instead.

Fyi, unlike the doom-laden Briarsgate, this game doesn't have critical hits or fumbles. A "1" is just a miss.