Chapter 4: Verulia in Darkness

[hedgeknight]

From his position in the back, Roan glowers silently, while frequently checking the passage behind them. He doesn't like narrow passageways or closed in spaces. Being underground is bad enough; this is almost more than the Vanir can bear.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"Perhaps this is not the way. Maybe we need to use the passage way with the buttons, assuming Kiri is correct and it moves."

[Jernau35]

Loche looks at the door for a few seconds, his head cocked to one side, thinking. "Stone door, stone door, metal door. How come now?" he mutters under his breath.

Loche takes his long staff and taps the door a couple of times. If there's no obvious result from this, he retrieves his tools and inspects the door for traps.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda puts her hand on the barbarians large back, sensing his anxiety. She then pushes her way up through the ranks to the door to assist the Pict in his search. If the tapping and searching reveals nothing, she will run her fingers along and in any grooves or cracks in the door, looking for any type of opening mechanisms.

Maybe we just push? Or knock?

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri blinks, absently chewing on a scrap of their recently acquired rations. He looks at the ornate door for a moment then says "I did the last puzzle. Someone else's turn. This just looks like a pretty door." he won't, however, get too close until those with appropriate training have checked things out.

[Zhym]

The symbols mean nothing to Arthfael. He waits for someone to open the door.

[Inferno]

DM:

Nothing emerges from the pitch darkness behind Roan's back.

Mako quietly suggests they withdraw from this supposed realm of Death.

Loche's tapping goes unanswered. He and Gronda find no traps or handholds in the inscrutable bronze portal of the ancients.




Actions?

[Mant72]

Seeing nothing nefarious come of the trapfinders' efforts, Garrin steps forward, mutters a prayer to Mitra, and pushes firmly on the center of the gilded door.

[Inferno]

Third Tier of the Great Pyramid, Lost City of Khemsa
Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Two. Morning. 14th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia



Garrin pushes the great, bronze door and it slowly creaks open upon hinges unseen.

Beyond the yawning portal, Kiri's torchlight reveals a dark, ruined ceremonial chamber. As in the hallway that heralds it, the cracked walls here are carved with violent depictions of warfare and strife...



...battle and death.



All for the glory of Sutekh.

A dusty altar near the north wall has objects upon it that cannot be discerned in this light at this distance. But some of them sparkle and glimmer in the shadows.


Actions?


Map:






PC Status:

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

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All): All lost hit points are recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping for less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 hit point per hour. Duration: "months."

PC 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)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)

[tkrexx]

Atilla

The artwork holds little meaning for the short Barbarian, but he nods quickly at the shiny objects, and keeps his bow ready.

[Jernau35]

Loche

The glimmer of the objects upon the altar is matched by the glint in Loche's eye as he contemplates the possibility of treasure! Cautiously he advances into the room, his staff tapping the floor ahead of him. He sweeps a path along the right-hand wall, searching for traps as he goes, intending to approach the altar from the rear.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Glad to see the door open and the chamber beyond, Roan is eager to get inside and out of the long, dark hallway. What normally might be his interest in ancient runes and such is overshadowed by his fear of being so far underground and closed in. He wonders if he will ever again feel the wind in his hair or the sun on his face.
"I miss snow," he mutters to no one in particular as he walks into the chamber with its altar and promise (?) of treasure. He turns his back on the room and watches the long corridor behind them...just in case.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda enters behind the others and follows in Loche's footsteps as he makes his way to the shiny.

[ChubbyPixie]

If those entering before him don't plummet into cleverly hidden pits or get impaled by poisoned spears or arrows, Kiri will follow them in and stand inside the door, torch held aloft to cast its light about the room. He'll keep an eye on those exploring and, if a pit does open up beneath one of them, will be ready to cast Feather Fall on them if he can react in time.

"Beware of easy treasure," he says, giving voice to the what everyone is likely already thinking.

[Zhym]

Arthfael nods in agreement. "Unprotected shinies do not sit alone untaken," he says. "Beware of traps or guardians."

[Mant72]

"Aye, tread lightly," Garrin warns.

The holy warrior turns his attention to the hieroglyphics. He is drawn to the miltant pictographs and studies them, searching for any connections or similarities to his own military training.

All the while his hand rests uneasy on the pommel of his sword.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako files in with the rest of the group, eager to see what the excitement is all about.

[Inferno]

Ceremonial Chamber (13), Third Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Two. Morning. 14th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia



Within ancient territories marked by the symbol of Death, the explorers guardedly enter a forlorn ceremonial chamber (13).
"Beware of easy treasure," rasps Kiri Khutan.
"Beware of traps or guardians," murmurs Arthfael of Cimmeria.

Inside the chamber, they are completely surrounded by walls adorned with scenes of discord, bloodshed and warfare; the exalted domains of mighty Sutekh.



Their torchlight casts their own looming shadows before them; immense across the carved hieroglyphic walls, writhing and undulating with every footstep and flicker.

Atilla and Roan the barbarians stand at the door, weapons drawn, watchful. Roan glances back at the corridor behind them but his view is blocked by Kiri. The gigantic man-mountain stands directly in the doorway, torch held high.

Prodding, testing, searching, Loche's painstaking advance on the right is slow but safe, so far. Gronda follows in his exact footsteps. The two thieves are halfway to the altar when they can make out the shimmering offerings atop it. Golden coins. Gems. A sacrificial dagger. A golden mask. And more. All covered in the dust of the ages.

Garrin, son of Atlantis, studies the grand pictoglyphic pageant of disorder, strife and suffering etched upon the walls. The noble warrior believes this abandoned chamber honors the fallen dead of battle. It is a Hall of the Slain.

The explorers' shadows jump again.

This time, of their own unearthly volition!




They vibrate, distort, warp and stretch impossibly until they no longer resemble their casters. Not even in number.





Then, incredibly, the 13 new shadow shapes emerge from off the surface of the walls!





The autonomous silhouettes (S1-13) silently advance toward the adventurers. Weapons of pure shade are drawn; bows, swords, axes, knives...





...as the shadows close in, readying for the kill.


Actions?!
Everyone, please Save vs Spells, and Save vs Int on 1d20. Please post your intended actions regardless of the outcomes. Thanks.


Map:






PC Status:

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

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All): All lost hit points are recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping for less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 hit point per hour. Duration: "months."

PC 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)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)

[Zhym]

Arthfael staggers back, bewildered. "The spirits of the stone are angry!" he cries. He draws his scimitar and takes a defensive position.

Save vs. spell (15): [1d20+3] = 3+3 = 6
Int check (8): [1d20] = 14

Attack roll, if needed:
Scimitar (THAC0 20): [1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18 [1d8] = 7

[Mant72]

Garrin hisses at the blasphemous animations, "The spirits of the slain are among us! Perhaps donning the mask will appease their wrath?"

With this, the ring of steel echoes in the chamber as he unsheathes his blade.

Save vs Intelligence (9): [1d20] = 2

Save vs Spell (15): [1d20] = 8