Chapter 6: The Conjurers of Oblivion

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche, telegraphing his puzzlement, continues his line of questioning.

Whit made ye unworthy o' a god's mercy? whit pity urr ye talking aboot?

Translation: What made you unworthy of a god's mercy? What shame are you talking about?

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako continues to consume the food and drink.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Those ladies did seem a bit stuffy. I don't think they liked us. At all. At least you're having a good time down here and making the best of it," says Kiri. "I like your tapestry."

[Inferno]

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







The lethargic cyclone of voices and masks continues to spiral.

Attila's eyes drink in the oscillating tapestry, while his mouth drinks up the wine. Mako too, takes his fill. But suspicious Arthfael of Cimmeria falls quiet, even as Kiri smiles, "At least you're having a good time down here and making the best of it."

"Yes!" replies another wandering mask, "What good is cataclysm and catastrophe if you can't enjoy yourself!"

Roan the barbarian says, around a haunch of honeyed meat, "You call yourselves the doomed undying. What the hell does that mean? Are you immortal? Are you gods?"

"No, my friend," Usemhotep smiles as he idly waves a slender white hand from the center of the human helix, "We, as a people, live on. Our race continues forward, despite the death of our culture... to our forefathers' eternal shame." He raises a glass in mock toast to those exalted bygone progenitors.

Loche asks, "Whit made ye unworthy o' a god's mercy? Whit pity urr ye talking aboot?"

"We are guilty of letting everything our glorious ancestors ever created fall into ruin and annihilation," Usemhotep answers, as if he were discussing the weather. His words, if not their tone, remind Loche of those of Ghorom of Osorus.

Usemhotep smiles, "Our unrivaled civilization, the pinnacle of man's advancements, shattered and forgotten, ravaged and defiled by an unholy monstrosity from Hell... A cultural holocaust. An apocalypse of our very souls. ...But really. Must we dwell upon such melancholia? Drink up! And kindly regale us with how you shall make war upon Zargoth! Tell us, dear guests, how does one kill a god?"


Replies?





PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 5/12, 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
  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: 5/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23

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: 41 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)

[hedgeknight]

Roan continues to eat and drink.

[ChubbyPixie]

"I was thinking we'd put on the mystical armor, take up the mystical weapons, maybe a mystical brooch or what-have-you and... kkkkkkkkkshhhhh!" Kiri motions as if skewering an imaginary demon, then stands back to bask in imaginary adulation from an imaginary crowd, flexing like a tournament wrestler at a carnival. "Do you have any more info where we could find the mystical stuff? The guy in the hawk mask said it was down below somewhere, but he was vague about the location... by the way, this dish, with the little spiral garnish is very good."

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin maintains his silence, not understanding (or trusting) these masked hedonists. If this feast and wine is truly as it appears, then the revelers will get drunk and give up some information. If, as he suspects, the "magical" food and wine is poisoned or somesuch, it is best to abstain. He does his best to listen casually, but never keeps his hand far from his sword.

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche cautiously holds back. They seem to have ulterior motives. Their wine tasted funny too.

[Inferno]

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







Attila, Kiri, Mako and Roan enjoy the bizarre feast. But Arthfael, Garrin and Loche may have had their fill of the hospitality of the Grand Magi of Uthoth.

Kiri says, "I was thinking we'd put on the mystical armor, take up the mystical weapons, maybe a mystical brooch or what-have-you and... kkkkkkkkkshhhhh!"

"An excellent stratagem, sirrah! Your success is assured!" cries another masked member of the slowly circling celestial court.

Kiri asks, "Do you have any more info where we could find the mystical stuff? The guy in the hawk mask said it was down below somewhere, but he was vague about the location... "

"Yes. He would be. You speak of those tedious dullards of Osorus," Usemhotep sighs with supreme contempt and weariness. "The Great Pyramid holds many secret corridors, almost all lost to antiquity. But we illuminated bearers of occult knowledge still remember some covert pathways to the sarcophagi below:

"You must walk the floors of Hell, the serpentine path of the righteous," he quotes lazily around his wine glass. "Anyway, I believe that's how it goes."

Then to the unhurried vortex of wizards: "Fellow seekers! Would any of you care to join these brave, lost pilgrims? It seems like decades since last we ventured below. There might be much knowledge to gain!"


Replies?





PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 5/12, 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
  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: 5/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23

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: 31 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)

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Talking to Usemhotep "Have you ever takin' a ride on the rotating corridor? Have you ever been to the The Ibis or The Cat room?"

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri is encouraged by the enthusiasm of the friendly, creepy?... no just friendly, wizards. "Yes! Join us! The serpentine path? I guess that's the one with the snake? Hmmm. Wait. That's the one with the monkeys, right?" He grabs an empty goblet and fill it with wine. These guys are all right, he thinks.

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche, still cautious, is willing to give these overly friendly wizards a shot. He is very very cautious, but will not object.

[Zhym]

Arthfael remains skeptical of the overly friendly wizards, but he stays silent.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin does not trust these masked buffoons, magi or no. But a guide might be useful, especially if he can lead them further down the pyramid and towards the evil that awaits them below.

"Is there one among you who craves greater knowledge? Let him come forth, and join our quest!"

If any of the masked revelers indicate a desire to join, Garrin says to him/her: "Welcome! May you find all the knowledge you seek. By what name are you called? With your leave, I have a spell that will place the blessing of my god upon you." If the masked person does not object, Garrin attempts to Detect Evil on him/her.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune, belches abruptly and then hikes his leg and farts > the sound is akin to what it might be like to strangle a duck. "Ah, as fine food and drink I've had since leaving the highlands! Yes, join us on our quest! Surely, the gods favor our endeavors so far."

[Inferno]

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





Attila and Kiri watch the living imagery of the tapestries writhe and undulate into their rapidly expanding consciousnesses.



The arcane art opens within their psyche like kaleidoscopic petals...



...spiraling outward and inward, concurrent and eternal.



Unaware, perhaps, of what is transpiring with the distant psychic landscapes of Attila and Kiri's minds, Usemhotep asks, "Fellow seekers! Would any of you care to join these brave, lost pilgrims? It seems like decades since we last ventured below. There might be much knowledge to gain!"

Garrin of Argos joins in, "Is there one among you who craves greater knowledge? Let him come forth, and join our quest!"

"I will," comes a voice.



"Ah, brother Amethu!" smiles Usemhotep. "I should have known. Go forward, as our emissary to cataclysm. Learn what news you can of the current state of the dreaming pyramid."

"I shall," says Amethu.

Mako asks, "Have you ever taken a ride on the rotating corridor? Have you ever been to the The Ibis or The Cat room?"

Usemhotep replies, "Of course. Although for some time now, we've used the revolving hall as a barrier as much as a conveyance.
"But it does seem to have you turned around," he adds sardonically. "You walked the corridor of The Ibis to reach we humble acolytes of Uthoth." (see map)

"Praise him!" cries the lethargic spiral of masked sorcerers.

"And the baboons are in the hall of The Hawk," Usemhotep corrects Kiri. (see map)

Roan passes wind and Usemhotep says, "Although not exclusively." Then, back to Mako: "We've not walked the pathway of The Cat in my lifetime."

Then Garrin, noble paladin of Atlantis, lies to Amethu, "With your leave, I have a spell that will place the blessing of my god upon you."


Replies?


Map:






PC Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 5/12, 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
  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: 5/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23

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: 29 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)

[tkrexx]

Atilla ignores the conversations about him.

Women, he utters, looking about. There are Women here. I need a Woman.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri, fascinated, finally tears his eyes away from the tapestry for a moment. "All right! Amethu, is it? It's great to have you. We should be going, but first I want to see how this tapestry turns out..." He turns back to stare intently at the seemingly static wall hanging, a look of intense interest on his face.

[Zhym]

Arthfael, still distrustful of the overly-happy mages, waits for his group to move on.

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune, his hunger and thirst sated, belches again, and then welcomes the newcomer to the group.
"Glad to have you with us, Amethu. Perhaps you can help us not get lost in this place."