Chapter 8: Necropolis of Eternity

[ChubbyPixie]

”My magic will only hold the ceiling bug back for a moment!” shouts Kiri. ”We must make our stand at the north door or we will soon be trapped between undead and bug. If this happens we will die!” With that he runs for the north door and stops just inside it, pressed against the wall, to usher anyone who follows inside the passage.

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche continues to sprint until he reaches the closed door. He does a quick inspection for traps before attempting to open the door.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu follows the group north - away from the hideous bug - and into a better fighting position against the undead.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorzen ponders Kiri's words as he is about to land another blow with his javelin.

"Kiri is right! We have no idea how many of these things are still out there! Let us fall back before we are trapped between the bug and the dead!"

He backs away from the fight and follows behind the huge easterner, ready to make a stand at the next doorway instead.

[Zhym]

Arthfael just avoids getting his spear caught in something.

Spear (THAC0 20): [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3 [1d6] = 1 (S/M) / [1d8] = 7 (L)

[Urson]

Zahra

Fall Back! she does so, defending as she goes, not turning her back on the undead.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Continues to follow Amethu & Loche

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

Soruk hears the words of Kiri. He recalls the memory of the things tentacles writhing over his body, in a bad way. "Alloweth us fall back! Come, Garrin!"

Soruk will advance in a rearward direction, trying to parry attacks as he does so.

[Inferno]

The Violated Crypt (39a), Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Three. Early afternoon. 15th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





In the shadowed corridors of antiquity, Amethu, Loche and Mako race toward the door to the hall of heroes. With urgency, the Pictish thief frantically scans it for traps, and then tries to pull it open, to no avail. The ancient portal is locked tight.

Behind them, in the violated tomb, the other explorers are beset by indefatigable servants from out of eternity's immeasurable reach.



Kiri cries out that his magic will soon break, counseling retreat from the unliving horde as he falls back to the northern doorway! Soruk and Xorzen heed the giant's words and narrowly escape the front line unscathed! They and Zahra join Kiri at the door, from which they make ready to stand against the unrelenting guardians of Kingdom Come.

Garrin and Arthfael are left behind in the retreat. Their resolute sword and spear are beaten down by the great blade of an immortal keeper of the Great Pyramid. (M5)

The unyielding, eternal servitors of Xuthalhotep advance!

In the fierce onslaught of Verulian blades, Arthfael's shoulder-bone is nearly cleaved asunder! (-5hp)

Then, above them, the ceiling barricade is broken. A second gigantic insect leviathan peers down from above (X2), its horrific tentacles probing and reaching as it lets out a chittering shriek!




Actions?!


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

M5 Opportunity attacks on Soruk and Xorzen: [1d20] = 10, [1d20] = 7, damage: [1d8] = 6, [1d8] = 2 Both miss.
M4, M5 attack Garrin and Arthfael: [1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 18, damage: [1d8] = 1, [1d8] = 5 Arthfael is hit for 5hp.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/10, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, Lantern
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 6/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 15/18, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/7, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 6(5), HP: 5/9, 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: 13/16, 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)

[Urson]

zahra

Seeing her companions in deep trouble from undead _and_ monsters, Zahra returns, shrieking a warcry! She tries to stay clear of the insect as she moves to help Arthfael, smashing at the undead with her mace.

att [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, frustrated with the locked door, returns to the room to lend protective aide in what is now a do or die battle!

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche analyzes the door and tries to unlock it if there’s a lock. If it looks completely impassible, he will stealthily rejoin the rest of the party and survey the scene before engaging in combat.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"Amethu wait! Loche will unlock the door. I have great faith in his abilities, but we will need your strength and steel to combat the horde once we are through."

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin renews his attack on the undead foe before him, hoping that this is not his final battle.

To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3; lg - [1d12+1] = 2+1 = 3

[ChubbyPixie]

With no hope now but to defeat the bug before it can paralyze the entire party, Kiri steps forward and swings his two-handed sword at its tentacled head in a whistling, overhand arc:

Attack with Two-Handed Sword (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20+3] = 20+3 = 23 Damage vs. s/m: [1d10+6] = 7+6 = 13, vs. Lg: [3d6+6] = 8+6 = 14
Woohoo!!

Ummm... I hope we win initiative...

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

Unsure as to what the best course of action is, Soruk hesitates...until he sees Zahra and Kiri bravely risk themselves for their non-brothers.

He grins madly and follows Kiri to the creepy crawly thing. "I cannot alloweth thee to have all the excitement, Kiri."

Soruk slashes at the creature, hoping to score a pair of horrible kills this day.

Bastard Sword (15): [1d20] = 4 Guess not right now

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorzen is about to race into the safety of the empty hallway, but he stops once the others turn to fight the escaped creature. Wondering why some folks didn't heed the warnings to retreat, he tosses one of his normal javelins at the horrible monster once it is engaged. He tries to stay out of the reach of its dangerous tentacles.

Javalin Attack [1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18 Damage [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4 (please ignore the magical +1 on this roll)

[Inferno]

Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Three. Early afternoon. 15th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





In the ageless labyrinthine hallways of the Great Pyramid of the lost city, Amethu hears the sound of a fray erupting behind him. The masked sorcerer leaves his lantern with Mako and rushes to aid his allies back in the sundered crypt.

As Mako implores Amethu to wait, Loche the deftly picks the doorlock and pushes it open onto the Hall of Heroes. (room 31)

In silent heaps lay shattered skeletal warhorses and their deathless riders, splayed across the ruins of the battlefield. Broken spears and shields lie trampled and splintered beneath a smoky haze still thick with the scent of burning human flesh.

Loche the Pict is certain he can hear the whispering skulls of the Bone Crypt somewhere in the inpenetrable shadows to the west.




Far behind them, Amethu reaches the violated tomb in time to see the leviathan grub ooze down from the ceiling hole, all nine hideous feet of its wriggling length!




The horrific gigantic terror (X2) attacks the nearest victim, Arthfael of Cimmeria, with writhing alien tentacles but the mighty druid resists its insidious touch!

Xorzen hurtles his enchanted black javelin, an ebon streak that impales the mammoth larvae's torso! The gargantuan horror lets loose an ear-splitting squeal.

Zahra the amazon bursts back into the room. Giving the grotesque insect monster a wide berth, she joins Arthfael and Garrin at the front line, her mace repelled by a great sword's counterstroke! With regret, Zahra sees their unsuccessful retreat has allowed the door to be taken by the legion of the dead. Their advantage is lost.

Kiri's two-handed sword flashes from its sheath. In a gleam of steel, his legendary strength buries the great blade into the immense grub to the cross piece, killing it instantly in a burst of emerald blood!



Its hideous, all-too-human shriek becomes a gurgle and then the rattle of death.

Soruk joins the front line as unliving guardians keep pouring in the open door. The holy Verulian warrior cannot land a clean strike against their growing number.

But Arthfael and Garrin close ranks and focus their attacks. In their merciless hacking of blades, they cleave asunder an advancing undead sentinel (M5).

More move forward to take its place.



With adamant determination and patience, the inexorable host of eternal servants attack, an unrelenting tide of bloodless guardians from beyond the grave; guardians seemingly without fear or number.

Zahra evades a stroke meant to disembowel her, suffering only a gash across the hip. (-1hp) Then a dead man's blade nearly tears out the throat of Garrin of Atlantis! (-6hp)

The swelling force of the timeless, unstopping servitors does not let up.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 5, Monsters: [1d6] = 6 Monsters win.
X2 attacks Arthfael: to hit: [1d20] = 19, [1d20] = 16, [1d20] = 16, [1d20] = 11 All four tentacles hit.
Arthfael needs to Save vs Paralysis twice: (10): [1d20] = 18, [1d20] = 16 Arthfael saves successfully.
Arthfael attacks M5 with scimitar: [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14, damage: [1d8] = 6 Hits for 6hp! Dang. Go, Arthfael!
M3, M8 attack Soruk and Arthfael: [1d20] = 10, [1d20] = 7, damage: [1d8] = 7, [1d8] = 2 Both miss.
M4, M7 attack Garrin and Zahra: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 14, damage: [1d8] = 6, [1d8] = 1 Both hit.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/10, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 6/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 9/18, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/7, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Lantern
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 6(5), HP: 5/9, 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: 12/16, 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)

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche whispers as quietly as he can to his companion, Mako:

Follow quietly. Let's hawp thay cannae hear us comin' thro' th' ungody shriek ah juist heard in th' room. Swift 'n' silent.

Translation:

Follow quietly. Let's hope they can't hear us coming through the ungody shriek I just heard in the room. Swift and silent.

He brandishes his blade as he adds:

'n' dinnae forgoat tae signal amethu tae follow us. Th' stronger th' flanking force, th' less likely we'll hae a seicont funeral tae attend.

Translation:

And don't forget to signal Amethu to follow us. The stronger the flanking force, the less likely we'll have a second funeral to attend.

Loche is troubled by the whispering skulls. He wonders just what kind of trouble did he get into now. This is worse than the innkeeper's daughter incident that happened a couple of years back... It still itches sometimes...

[ChubbyPixie]

Ignoring the bug guts that now coat him, Kiri quickly surveys the situation and realizes that were he to take a blow like the one Garrin just took, he would not survive it. He knows if he is to help his friends he'll need magical aid. Thinking quickly, he pulls out the scroll, intones the phrases written upon it, and divides...

Kiri casts Mirror Image from the scroll.
Roll for number of Mirror Images: [1d100+1] = 76+1 = 77
4 images!
...but only for 2 rounds. (sound of deflating balloon here)