Chapter 14: The Doomed Undying

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will find a quiet place to rest if this location is indeed safe for a while. Knowing that the ancient Zargoth sees all in his domain, perhaps trying to reset anyway would add some benefit. He is too injured to put up much of an argument for the contrary.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri sits leaning against a pillar across from Mako. "Tjoruy, if you wish to try to rest, I'll watch over you. Do we not then run the risk of the demon locating us once again? Perhaps we can have a few hours rest before he does, at least," he says.

[SocraticLawyer]

Or course, offers Garrin, weakly, to Cruloc's rebuke.

The paladin spends a few minutes in silent prayer. He knows, somehow, that Mitra understands the circumstances of the evil act he committed, unknowingly. Garrin thanks his god for his understanding and forgiveness, and begs for the strength to continue his quest.

[Inferno]

The Desecrated Temple of Osorus, The Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Eight. After Midnight?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Hiding from a city that hunts them, the adventurers converse in harsh voices that echo along the desecrated corridors of eternity.

Beneath the shattered visages of long forsaken gods, Cruloc the Cimmerian prowls the ransacked temple, finding her precious treasures already borne away by things more barbarous even than him.

Pondering the hawk masks that Xorzen discovered, Zahra the amazon remembers such masks among the demented throng that stalks them even now.



Tjoruy the hermit lowers himself to the floor in abject defeat. Amethu and Kiri also rest, overcome with exhaustion and doubt. Kiri wonders aloud how they might dare sleep without betraying their location to the all-seeing demon god of the underground city.

Mako closes his eyes... just for a moment.

Having lived his entire life within the Great Pyramid of Khemsa, Xorzen is fluent with the stonecraft of ancient Verulian architecture. After methodically, painstakingly searching the sacristy, he finds subtle handholds hidden with the intricate hieroglyphic designs of the floor tiles. The Verulian disciple of Osorus believes that large stone slabs might be lifted up from the floor of the temple, were enough strength applied to the task. With a flicker of hope, he tells the others what he has found.


Actions?



Underground City Map:






PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 4/14, Spells: 2/7 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 22/35
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/26, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 5/14, Spells: 2/3 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: 9/10, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl Light spell
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 10/31, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, Candle
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 9/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 7/21

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 (Garrin, Kiri, Loche and Xorzen 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."
  Light (Mako): Duration: 25 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)

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra keeps one of the hawk masks, so that she can at least attempt to disguise herself. Then, she lies down and immediately drops off to sleep, too tired and injured to care.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"ZZZZZzzzzzzz"

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen points out the slabs enthusiastically as one by one his friends succumb to their exhaustion.

He asks for help from anyone willing to put their backs into some heavy lifting, hoping to find an even safer place for the group to take their rest.

"I think that with enough brute force", he looks to the fighting men of the party, "we could get these slabs to show us what they hide."

He looks around for anything that might be used as a lever or fulcrum point to aid them in this struggle.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cruloc nods to Xorxen and approaches the gargantuan slab. Hiking up his mailed shirt to expose strapping, sun-bronzed loins, the Cimmerian tenses mountain-born thews as a bestial growl escapes his corded throat.

"YAARRGGH!"

With one mighty, cyclopean surge ...

[Scott308]

Loche

Clapping Xorxen on the back, the Pict congratulates him and volunteers to assist. Weel dain finding that. Whitevur we fin' doon thare haes tae be better than ne'er bein' able tae kip again wi'oot that damned demon's flunkies trying tae murder us in oor kip. Ah will hulp ye hurl th' slab.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will continue to rest.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin lends his strength to those lifting the slab.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri heaves himself up from his resting position and approaches the members gathered around the slab. "There's an old saying where I'm from that one should attend to matters that take place in one's own wheelhouse," he says. Positioning himself strategically, he prepares to give it all he's got. "It's metaphorical. Remember, lift with the legs..." he says, then HEAVES.

[Inferno]

The Desecrated Temple of Osorus, The Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Eight. After Midnight?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






Beneath the impassive monolithic columns of antiquity, careful examination and exploration uncovers false slabs in the floor expertly hidden by the devious ancient architects of lost Verulia.

As the others rest, Cruloc, Garrin, Kiri and Loche lift up the immense stone slab with a Herculean effort!

Beneath it is revealed a sandy crawlspace little more than a shallow, wide pit. Therein lie threadbare blankets and enough room for perhaps 20 men to lay. The slab has airholes woven into the hieroglyphic motifs, that are unseen when the floor is in place!

His flickering candle held forth in his wavering hand, Tjoruy the ramshackle priest exclaims in a hoarse whisper, "Eureka! 'Tis divine Providence! Osorus hath shone his blessings upon we, his faithful servants!
"Uncounted centuries ago, the priesthood of Osorus must have hidden here from the thralls of Zargoth as they seized the city for their dread master!
"Might this secret hiding place provideth asylum once more from those self-same fiends?!"

They look over excitedly at their companions and find them asleep from utter exhaustion.

Asleep, and dreaming...


Actions?



Underground City Map:






PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 4/14, Spells: 2/7 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 22/35
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/26, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 5/14, Spells: 2/3 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: 9/10, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl Light spell
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 10/31, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, Candle
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 9/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 7/21

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 (Garrin, Kiri, Loche and Xorzen 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."
  Light (Mako): Duration: 22 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]

“Come, let us move them into the safe space, quickly,”says Kiri. He will, as gently as possible, scoop up Zahara and carry her down into the crawlspace. “Get the others,” he says.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen is slightly less sympathetic about his sleeping comrades, kicking at their feet to rouse them and ushering them into the pit as quickly as possible.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Should Xorxen fail to rouse those who slumber, Cruloc physically drags them into the pit like sacks of grain.

"Ha! We shall be as vermin hiding from vermin!"

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra wakes enough to realize she's being moved. She sees that it's Kiri, and relaxes back to sleep.

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict is not gentle in his attempts to rouse the sleepers, including a tongue lashing for good measure!

Wake up ye lazy bastards! Ye wur tellt nae tae kip, bit ye didnae listen, did ye? Ye kin hae brought doom tae us a'! We fun a hiding steid- hurry 'n' git in afore th' hordes fin' us!

[ravenn4544]

Amethu wakes slowly and examines the sleeping area. Clearly it has been used before with the blankets as evidence. If that is indeed what is needed to rest... “we will still need time for proper study. Not sure if there is sufficient room in there to read by candle light?”

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin helps to move the others to the hidden room, rousing them as necessary. Tired though he is, he volunteers for first watch once everyone is settled.