Chapter 4: Verulia in Darkness

[Zhym]

"If we're in the Ankh/Sarcophagus hall, why would pressing the Ankh have done anything?" asks Aerthfael. "Maybe we just need to press a different button."

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"No Aerthfael you are confused. You first pressed Sarcophagus at the beginning of the hall. Keep the symbols the same. We are in Sarcophagus and Sarcophagus. Perhaps if we all stand outside of the hall and press the Sarcophagus button again the door will close and let us choose another hallway? Either way I think the door must be shut for the hallway to move."

OCC: Were all the symbols raised or was only the Sarcophagus symbol raise at the first panel when we first approached it? Was the door closed to the hallway before Aerthfael pushed the symbol?

[Zhym]

"Perhaps I am confused, because I do not remember pushing any button. But I will now. Get into this part of the hall, everyone." When they have done so, Arthfael presses the hawk.

[ChubbyPixie]

"If we're in the Ankh/Sarcophagus hall, why would pressing the Ankh have done anything?" asks Aerthfael. "Maybe we just need to press a different button."

"Yes. Exactly my point..." says Kiri.

[Jernau35]

Loche stands in the middle of the hallway, bracing himself for the movement which is apparently going to happen at any moment. He also crouches slightly, in anticipation of the volley of poisoned darts which he suspects will be released when the wrong button is pressed...

[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



CLICK.

Nothing happens. The pathways of the ancients are silent. The explorers of the Great Pyramid weigh their choices:

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

They cautiously enter the strangely angled hall and Arthfael, taking the hawk-helmed Sons of Osorus as a good omen, presses the glimmering button etched with the hieroglyph of The Hawk.

CLICK.

There is a deep bass rumble emanating from the floor under their feet. Both massive stone portals slide out of the walls, sealing shut the strangely angled hallway.



The bass growl continues and the heroes' feet seem unsteady beneath them.

Moments later, the rumble abates as both stone doors grind open onto different hallways than before!

The corridor near Arthfael, that had led to the Hall of the Slain, has transformed into a straight hall, 20 feet tall, whose floor shimmers and flickers in the torchlight like fire opals:



The hallway nearest Kiri has also impossibly changed! It once lead to the Temple of Osorus, now it has been made straight, extending into shadow. Kiri's torch reflects eyes in that darkness. Many eyes. And then suddenly they pounce into the light!



Feral simians, bright white fangs, a dozen or more, screaming and howling with wild ferocity!

A random thought flashes through Kiri's mind: in the Pyramid, he had seen hieroglyphs depicting baboons as household servants in Ancient Khemsa... before the fall.



Then the savage beasts lunge at him!


Actions?!


Map:

PCs are white. Baboons are blue.

Full Map:






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: 69 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

"No, no, Arthfael, it must be simultaneous - just pushing a single button will never..." begins Kiri when he's interrupted by the sudden grinding of stone as the doors shut. "...Oh," he adds as the floor seems to shift beneath their feet.

Caught up in the strangeness of the sensation of the rotating hallway, he fails to move away from the stone door before it opens again. When he sees the guardian baboons emerge from the darkness, his first instinct is to back up even with Gronda or Roan (depending on who jumps forward, if anyone) to seal the hallway with his frame. "Monkeys!" is all he can manage to get out in the moment. Shield up, he attempts to skewer with his trident the first one to launch itself in his direction:

Attack with Trident (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20+3] = 8+3 = 11 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+7] = 3+7 = 10, vs. Lg: [3d4+6] = 10+6 = 16

[tkrexx]

Atilla

Down! The Horse-Archer barks at those ahead of him, Get Down!

If in his dim Barbarian mind Atilla believes he can get arrows off:
Shortbow (range 5/10/18) (ThAC0 17) [1d20+1] = 20+1 = 21, [1d6] = 5
Shortbow (range 5/10/18) (ThAC0 17) [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3, [1d6] = 4

[Zhym]

"Huh," says Arthfael when the hall starts moving. "That actually worked."

Too far back from the baboons to do fight them, Arthfael idly wonders if they might want to be friends. But he knows he is not strong enough to make friends with all of them, and making friends with some while the others are fighting is difficult.

So Arthfael keeps an eye on the north hall while the others fight.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako presses himself to the wall to allow anyone to pass easier. He holds his position in line, as he knows to retreat would cast his fellow front line compatriots in darkness.

[Jernau35]

Loche, still holding his sling, realizes that the weapon will be no good from where he stands. As he switches to his bone dagger, he thinks of a way to even the odds. "Push th' buttons tae send us back again! Afore thay all' git in 'ere wi' us!". he calls out loudly to his companions

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Feeling the walls (or floor) turning around him, almost makes the barbarian dizzy. But when the door opens and the screeching simians come bounding down the hall, the Vanir is quite relieved.
"Finally! Something that can bleed!" he says with a grin.

Crouching from Attila's call, Roan waits patiently and then steps into his swing, cleaving into one of the creatures with his axe.
Battle axe: [1d20+3] = 17+3 = 20, [1d8+5] = 2+5 = 7

[Zhym]

Arthfael, knowing a good idea when he hears one, presses the Ankh button after the first two or so baboons enters the hall.

[ChubbyPixie]

Loche, still holding his sling, realizes that the weapon will be no good from where he stands. As he switches to his bone dagger, he thinks of a way to even the odds. "Push th' buttons tae send us back again! Afore thay all' git in 'ere wi' us!". he calls out loudly to his companions

"I immediately regret not having already done so!" says Kiri, determined to fight his way back up to the buttons...

[Inferno]

The Revolving Corridor. 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





"EEEE! EEEE! EEEE!"

The savage primates lunge forward with bloodthirsty abandon!



"OOOUH! OOOOUH!"

Like the breaking of a dam, a raging torrent of black fur and white fangs flood the small corridor. The fierce baboons hurtle forward on all fours, leaping, racing along walls, climbing on the ceiling. They are everywhere!

"AAAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAAAAH!"

Each weighing 100 lbs of pure muscle, they blur past, filling the hallway with hot reeking bodies and shrill, deafening shrieks!

"EEEE! EEEE! EEEE!"

Clawing, screaming, foaming.

Black talons rend as froth flies from shrieking, inhuman lips.

"AAAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAAAAH!"

In the frenzied maelstrom, misshapen hands rip and tear at Arthfael!
Grinning jaws bite at the throats of Gronda and Loche! (-1hp, -4hp, -3hp respectively)
The wounded Zembabweian scout almost falls!

"EEEE! EEEE! EEEE!"

Mako struggles to hold his glowing quarterstaff high, else plunge this area into darkness.

Loche draws his dagger and cries over the howling din, "Push th' buttons tae send us back again!"

"OOOUH! OOOOUH!"

A powerful simian clamped to his chest, Arthfael barely hears Loche over the swirling chaos. The Cimmerian druid slams the button marked with the symbol of The Ankh.

CLICK.

The monolithic stone doors grind shut with agonizing slowness. Ferocious apes keep racing in until they are cut off from half their number!

"AAAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAAAAH!"

Enclosed, the short corridor amplifies the animal screams. The bass rumble can only be felt now. The adventurers' legs sway again (-1 to hit) causing Kiri's trident to narrowly miss impaling the screeching face of a savage mandrill.

Attila and Gronda can't nock arrows in time before they are grappling for their lives with the feral beasts.

Garrin's long sword proves too unwieldy in the mad crush.

"EEEE! EEEE! EEEE!"

But Roan's battleaxe lands true, disemboweling a leaping baboon in mid-air in a ghastly mess of streaming entrails.




Actions?!


Map:

PCs are white. Baboons are blue. Doors are closed. Hall is moving.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Party surprised? (1-2): [1d6] = 5 No. Monsters are not surprised either; the revolving corridor rumbles, giving them advance warning.
Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 3, Monsters: [1d6] = 4 Monsters win.
Baboons win initiative, and the door closes slowly, so half can charge in.
Charging baboons attack Arthfael, Gronda: [1d20+2] = 20+2 = 22, [1d20+2] = 17+2 = 19, damage: [1d4] = 1, [1d4] = 4 Both hit for 1hp and 4hp.
Charging baboons attack Mako, Loche: [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4, [1d20+2] = 20+2 = 22, damage: [1d4] = 3, [1d4] = 3 Loche hit for 3hp.
Charging baboons attack Atilla, Roan: [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12, damage: [1d4] = 2, [1d4] = 1 Both missed.
Charging baboons attack Kiri, Garrin: [1d20+2] = 6+2 = 8, [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5, damage: [1d4] = 3, [1d4] = 2 Both missed.
Garrin attacks: [1d20] = 5, damage: [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8 Misses.

PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 9/12, 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: 1/17
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/7, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/18
  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: 68 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)

[Jernau35]

Loche

Grimacing in pain, Loche manages to bring up his dagger to strike a counter-blow against the frenzied animal.

Dagger, melee (THACO:20): [1d20] = 15 Dmg [1d4] = 4

Sorry. Forgot to include the -1 penalty, so I guess that 15 is a 14.

[tkrexx]

Bellowing his displeasure, Atilla grabs his javelin and begins a rain of stabbing.

Javelin thrust (ThAC0 20) [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14, [1d6] = 4

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako strikes at the baboon in front of him with his quarterstaff.

Staff, Quarter THAC0 20 [1d20] = 2 S/M/L [1d6] = 2

[Zhym]

Arthfael

Scimitar (THAC0 20): [1d20+1] = 3+1 = 4 [1d8] = 8

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda tries what she may in the tumultuous situation before succumbing to viscous wounds yet again.

Attack w/ Spear [1d20] = 10 Damage [1d6] = 1