Chapter 4: Verulia in Darkness

[OGRE MAGE]

Sputtering and shaking off her unconsciousness, Gronda awakens with a start. She looks all around to try to get her bearings before speaking.

"What happened in there? Did we find the magical artifacts needed to slay the false god?"

She begins checking her wounds, wondering how they have faded so. She does not like the idea of fighting more of those shadow monsters. She prefers her enemies to be solid, and to scream out when they die.

She nods in affirmation to her stout comrades, glad to see that they care enough for her to help her when she has fallen.

"Thank you for helping me, friends. I was starting to wonder how many times we will need to kill those desert dogs. Where to now? Should we try a less deadly doorway this time?"

[tkrexx]

Atilla remains silent, his actions causing the hasty retreat.

Coin purse deleted!

[Zhym]

"Less deadly is good," says Arthfael. "I wonder though. Was the big shadow demon thing real, or a trick to scare us away?"

[Inferno]

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



Garrin, son of Atlantis, emerges from the shadows. Kiri Khutan's torch illuminates the path behind him, back to dread Sutekh's Hall of the Slain.



None of the flickering shadows between them and the closed door behave unnaturally. All is quiet as a grave.

The explorers of the Great Pyramid regroup near the strangely angled hall of the twin bronze panels.



They weigh what just happened, and what should happen next. A few allude to the mysterious hieroglyphic buttons...

• • The Serpent
  • The Cat
  • The Spear
  • The Ankh
  • The Hawk
  • The All-Seeing Eye
  • The Ibis
  • The Sarcophagus

...but thus far none dare touch them.


Actions?!


Map:

PCs are the first two letters of their name, in white.





PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 10/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 19/21
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 5, HP: 13/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 5/17
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/7, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, Torch
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 11/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23, 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 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: 72 rounds

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)

[Mant72]

Roan, Son of Rune

"Good to see you are hale and whole, Argosian. Now, pick us another route...and quickly!"

Garrin nods a silent thanks to the barbarian. He then studies the strange, pale ankh branded on his hand. His eyes slowly shift to the ankh button.

"Perhaps we follow the path of this odd marking. Dare we?" he questions while moving closer to examine the row of hieroglyphic buttons.

[OGRE MAGE]

"Less deadly is good," says Arthfael. "I wonder though. Was the big shadow demon thing real, or a trick to scare us away?"

Gronda dwells on the words of the druid for a moment.

"I wonder that same thing. Also, if we had to fight the last living creature we killed that came back as a shadow creature, and those things were the last thing we killed, would that mean we could go back there without facing any more of them? This place is confusing to me."

The dark savage watches on as the Argosian ponders his marked hand and the strange buttons.

"Go ahead......push it."

[Jernau35]

Loche

The Pict contemplates the row of symbols for a few moments. "Well, a'd advise us nae tae gang pushing ony symbol that relates tae war or danger or death. That shepherd's crook looks as harmless as ony tae me".

[Zhym]

Arthfael waits for someone to push a button.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Which sect do we wish to investigate? The sect of magic and knowledge? The Amazons? Once we decide this, I believe I know which buttons to push to rotate the corridor." says Kiri, with only a tinge of doubt. "Unless we wish, as a group, to gird ourselves to fight the Shadow at he end of the hall first..." He looks to the other to see what the consensus is.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

"The hell with facing shadows again!" the Vanir barbarian hisses. The fear in his eyes is obvious. "Push the button, Argosian. The sooner the better!"

[ChubbyPixie]

"...Ok, so we're not going back to the shadow." says Kiri in a friendly tone. "Mako, if you please. I will go to the other end of the hall. You stay here. The rest of you get inside the angled passage here. On the count of three, Mako, you press the All-Seeing Eye and I will press the Cat... Don't worry - there's a good chance this will work." Kiri smiles. He'll take his place at the other end. Once he sees everyone is ready, he'll begin the count...

[tkrexx]

Atilla readies his bow. If anything pops out at the group, he'll be the first to strike.

[Mant72]

"No, Kiri, to sunder the group is death. Gather closely."

The Argosian promptly presses the ankh button before anyone can wander away.

[Inferno]

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





In bronze, they glimmer.

• • The Serpent
  • The Cat
  • The Spear
  • The Ankh
  • The Hawk
  • The All-Seeing Eye
  • The Ibis
  • The Sarcophagus

None dare touch them.

The explorers of the Great Pyramid examine the buttons. They exchange theories and suggestions. They urge each other to action. But none take that advice.

Finally, Kiri Khutan begins to enter the strangely angled hall of the ancients and, before he can get far, Garrin of Argos suddenly presses a hieroglyph on the bronze tablet... The Ankh.

CLICK.

In the tense silence of anticipation, the button seems deafening. It echoes softly in the corridor of antiquity.


Then... nothing happens.


Actions?!


Map detail:






PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 10/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 19/21
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 5, HP: 13/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 5/17
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/7, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, Torch
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 11/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23, 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 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: 71 rounds

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 moves in past the doorway. "Try a different button," he suggests.

[Jernau35]

"You ken, if ye broke it, ye micht hae tae pay fur it." Loche pauses for a moment, then winks at Garrin.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda throws in her opinion.

"The spear seems promising."

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

After several seconds, Roan realizes he is holding his breath and exhales slowly and quietly. He gives Garrin a look and then agrees with his companions. "Pick another button, Argosian."

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"Maybe it only works if the same symbol is pressed on the other side as well?"

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri stops when he hears the button click and turns around. "But... ah, ok. Look, before pushing any more buttons we must all move into the angled hallway, or we will indeed be separated. You see this seam here where the angled hall ends? This is the point past which we must all move. I recommend standing in the center of the hall, here, as In that position the hall will rotate more slowly." He ushers the rest of the party, if they are willing, into the angled hall. Once everyone is in he says: "By my guess, two of us, while still inside the hall, should push buttons simultaneously at either end. Two that correspond to a new hall facing. I believe now we are in the 'Ankh/Sarcophagus' hall. Next, perhaps we try Ibis/Spear, as they seem to be the next in the sequence." He lumbers down to the far end and stands next to the panel there. "...however, I could be wrong. If there are those who think we should only press one button, say, the spear, as Gronda suggests, we could try that." He waits for the party's response before pushing any buttons...

Sorry for the super long post. I just want to be clear about what Kiri intends. I could be wrong, but this seems more complicated than just pushing a button. And since I've said that, I'm probably super, super wrong and we're all going to die.