Chapter 15: Empire Under the Earth

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra is clearly annoyed by the sudden silence, but sees that it is working, and relaxes. Shortly after, she is snoring again.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen looks confused initially with sound being all wonky for a while, but then figures out what has happened. He holds a cloth under his mask over his mouth and nose until the fire dies out enough to breath freely again.

He will watch over the others and meditate while the new days preparations are made.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin gratefully sheathes his sword, and returns to the group.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

The Cimmerian's shock and disorientation begin to wane. Still, he is profoundly troubled. By what unnatural power could flames cease to crackle? The dying to end their screams? The unfathomable force of magic is fearsome indeed, he concludes.

Cruloc sets about once again treating the injuries sustained by himself and the party before sitting down to recline against the cavern wall. He casts a wary eye toward Amethu - the source of the perplexing supernatural silence - and Kiri, his erstwhile bogeyman.

If he slit their throats while they slept, might his blade crumble to dust?

[Inferno]

Hatching Chamber, Giant Ant Colony, Beneath the Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Eight. Before Midnight?, 21st day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





The enormous ants are limned in the silent hungry flames that consume their helpless offspring. Then the forlorn, doomed insects trudge on.

The explorers complete their rest as the sorcerers and priests among them study forbidden secrets and pray to unknowable gods.

The silence and the flames and the smoke long gone, Cruloc the barbarian changes the dressing on the bandages of his companions. Kiri of the mysterious East summons the spirit of his long dead ancestor, and Tjoruy the underdweller heals the wounded with miracles from the lost times of ancient Verulia. (+4hp, +1hp and +5hp to Cruloc, Tjoruy and Zahra, assuming Cruloc will allow it?)



The half-mad scarecrow prophet proclaims in ecstasy, "Even here, there is still the light of Osorus! Slake, slake your thirst. Sing a hymn of praise to He who risest like unto gold, and who dost flood the world with light!"


Actions? (...and spellcasters, you may memorize new spells.)



Map:

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


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Tjoruy heals Cruloc, Tjoruy and Zahra: [1d8] = 4, [1d8] = 1, [1d8] = 5

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 4/14, Spells: 7/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/35, Torch planted on ground
  Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 26/26, Laying Hands: 1/1, Torch
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 25/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 12/12, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 7/31, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/29

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, Mako 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."
  Invisibility (Mako): Target: self
  Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 62 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 nods thanks to Tjoruy. She does a few slow, Tai Chi-like exercises to stretch wounded muscles. Are we sure we have found everything in this chamber? If so, I suggest we backtrack to search for another exit. I am sure that these insects had more than one.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, once his divine powers are replenished, will use some of that power to heal himself and others.

Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 2 on amethu

on Cruloc
Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 8
Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 7

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

The eyes of the mighty Cruloc bulge in fear while Tjoruy and Amethu weave their spells of healing. He dares neither look nor look away. Undisguised is his raw unease; teeth clenched, the barbarian tightens his grip on his sheathed dagger.

Fresh vigour flows into his limbs, and he watchfully allows the clerics to continue their curative voodooism.

[Scott308]

Loche

We need to find another exit, the way we came in is blocked.

[ChubbyPixie]

Well aware by now of Cruloc's uneasiness with the arcane and divine arts, Kiri is careful to look away and busy himself with other things as the barbarian receives his healing. He wouldn't want to embarrass the man.

With his spells replenished for the day (Unseen Servant - cast, Feather Fall and Spider Climb) he will set about packing up his things so they can move out once again.

"I feel Loche is correct, we must press on as we were and find a new exit. Grandfather can carry our light again," he says. Then to the air: "You don't mind, do you, Grandfather?" The air does not respond.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin nods. Indeed, we must continue our search.
Perhaps this way? he asks, pointing to the eastern shaft.

If the group agrees, he leads the group down the eastern shaft.

Did anybody take Garrin's +1 sword?

[OGRE MAGE]

Feeling invigorated from their rest, Xorxen prepares to head out with the others.

“This passage to the east hasn’t been checked yet.”

He looks over the opening for any possible traps before falling in line with the others.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako lines up with others to look for an exit to the east.

[Urson]

Zahra

When the group actually starts down the corridor, Zahra will fall in near the front.

[Inferno]

Hatching Chamber, Giant Ant Colony, Beneath the Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Nine. After Midnight?, 22nd day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia



The rested explorers ready themselves to press on in their fantastic quest to kill a god.

Kiri summons a spectral torchbearer as Amethu heals himself and the injured barbarian with a miraculous touch of his bare hands. (+2hp, +15hp respectively)

Xorzen finds no dangers lying in wait at the mouth of the eastern channel.




They follow the path that the smoke took earlier, slowly advancing through the twisting, winding ant warren until they come out into a low chamber filled with the pale cadavers of giant ant pupae.





Helpless and immobile, the young were abandoned in the collapse of the colony's society.

Forsaken worker ants shamble nearby, oblivious to their former charges, haunting these dark tunnels like forgotten ghosts.




Another circular channel winds eastward.


Actions?



Map:

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





PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/14, Spells: 4/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 29/35
  Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 26/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 25/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 12/12, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
  Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 7/31, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/29

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, Mako 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."
  Invisibility (Mako): Target: self
  Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 61 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)

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

His taught musculature verily throbbing with renewed vitality, Cruloc stands erect and takes the lead down the eastern corridor.

"What obscene cruelty, what nameless evil stalks these age-old passageways? What grisly eyes, unholy things, and vile secrets slumber here under the brooding city above? Let us vanquish it, drain its blood, and leave it as a banquet for what passes for vultures in these foul pits!"

The soundless, ancient dark shrinks away before his torch and his untamed fervour.

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict listens to the rambling barbarian as he pontificates upon what horrors may be in the area. He then offers his thoughts. Mah jalouse? Giant pumpin' ants. He lights a torch.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, a moment to contemplate their experience and situation, wonder's aloud, "Where are we? Tjoury - do you recall or know where we could possibly be?"

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra keeps a cautious eye on the workers as the group explores the chamber. She's very careful not to get in the way of any of the workers, and does not step on any of the pupae.

She uses her tinderbox to light a candle, and holds it up to spread the light around.

How high is the ceiling of the tunnel? IF it's high enough, Zahra will drip some wax onto the top of her helm and affix the candle there.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako cautiously continues through the room with the group. He hopes the next room will lead to civilization.