Chapter 15: Empire Under the Earth

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict once again slashes at the ant with his dagger, to no avail. Unintelligible muttering can be heard, and from his tone, it is clear it is a constant stream of profanity he is spewing.

Jeweled Dagger +1/ +2 vs. Undead (20): [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3; Damage: [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4; Damage, Large: [1d3+1] = 2+1 = 3

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri tries to charge the remaining ant(s), but finds that navigating the bodies of the already dead insects in his way proves more difficult than he anticipated. Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 3+4 = 7 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8] = 2+8 = 10, vs. Lg: [3d4+7] = 9+7 = 16

[Inferno]

Giant Ant Colony, Beneath the Desecrated Temple of Osorus, The Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Eight. Dawn?, 21st day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Within a vast ant hill, gigantic arthropods buy time with their lives. Rather than retreat before a superior force, they selflessly sacrifice themselves that the collective might survive.

Loche nimbly evades a soldier ant's razor sharp jaws but Cruloc is not so lucky. Immense mandibles of a wounded worker ant bites the barbarian with astonishing strength! (5hp damage) But no venomous stinger follows. Only the soldier caste of the enormous insects are poisonous.

The human invaders of the nest retaliate! Invulnerable exoskeletons of the gigantic ants repel all attacks again... except two! And that proves enough.

The gruesome hacking of steel blades into carapace and shell-covered limbs is nearly deafening, drowning out the attackers snarling oaths. Cruloc the Cimmerian reaps a brutal harvest, beheading his attacker with one terrible stroke of his blade! And Zahra the amazon pivots and flanks the last warrior ant, driving her sword to the hilt in its abdomen!

And then it is over, the battle ended. The colony raiders are victorious for now. But many are wounded, Cruloc grievously so.

All is quiet. New reinforcements to defend the nest have not arrived... yet.

The sinkhole collapse behind them means the adventurers cannot go back the way they came. Two tunnels lay before them now: the southern one, whence came the first wave of soldier ant reinforcements; and the northern channel, where their injured friend Tjoruy was last seen being dragged away by immense worker ants!



Actions?!



Map:

One square = 10 feet.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 3, Monsters: [1d6] = 4 Monsters win.
Soldier Ant bites Loche (1) or Garrin (2)? [1d2] = 1. Attack: [1d20] = 6, damage: [2d4] = 2 Misses Loche.
Worker Ant attacks Zahra (1) or Cruloc (2)? [1d2] = 2. Attack: [1d20] = 16, damage: [1d6] = 5 Bites Cruloc for 5hp damage. Worker ants don't have poison stingers.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 12/14, Spells: 4/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 8/35
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 17/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 7/14, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 22/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Light Spell
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 15/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/21, Torch at her feet

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."
  Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 72 rounds
  Light (Mako): Duration: 24 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

“Quickly now if we are to have a chance to save our addled friend,” says Kiri as he moves for the northern tunnel.“Cruloc’s idea to burn the trail is a good one, I think, if anyone has oil. Blocking the tunnels would be pointless. These ones were born to dig.”

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will lend ancient powers to invigorate the fighter slaying a way out of this hellish hole. He takes a moment to unroll the papyrus inscribed with ancient runes of healing. The scroll glows bright before disintegrating into motes of blue glow...

CSW on Cruluc
Cure Serious Wounds [2d8+1] = 7+1 = 8

OOC: i always thought a 4th level cleric spell should heal more than that I have one more CLW if we want to spend that now.

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra spits on one of the ants, then moves to help the wounded.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako stands next to Amethu to give the healer ample light to do his magic. As he stands there he looks around and takes a quick headcount. He believes his numbers to be short by one but he's not sure. The number within the group has fluctuated so much these past weeks he can't remember the exact number.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"They've disappeared with the Verulian - run off like a Brythunian harlot with a Shemite’s purse. We must give chase!"

Cruloc takes an unsteady step toward the northern tunnel before nearly collapsing from the dire wounds he has sustained in this gloomy warren.

"URRRGGGH! Mitra's spittle!" groans the barbarian. "Any stripling of my tribe could take me with a broken dagger at this moment. A flagon of wine would sort things out, but there is scant time for that. For now, I am grateful for the mercies of the cleric Amethu. As for Crom, that cold bastard gives me no help save the courage he instilled in me at birth."

He scowls and grits his teeth as he painfully binds his frightening wounds.

[Scott308]

Loche

Ah cannae ken a damned thing he says, bit we need tae shift oot quickly if we waant ony chance tae save Tjoruy.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu considers Cruloc's wounds and now at the mention of the unknown fate of Tjoruy - he holds off on using his last healing prayer... it may be needed urgently.

[SocraticLawyer]

Still feeling guilty about having attacked him earlier, Garrin lays hands upon Cruloc.

The paladin keeps his sword drawn. He leads the expedition down the tunnel into which Tjoruy was taken.

Come, we haven't much time!

[OGRE MAGE]

With no oil of his own to lay down or lend, Xorxen quietly follows behind anyone rushing after the missing cleric.

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict pours his flask of oil on the ant trails.

[Inferno]

Giant Ant Colony, Beneath the Desecrated Temple of Osorus, The Underground City
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Eight. Dawn?, 21st day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Deep beneath the ageless pyramids of lost Verulia, the invaders of the giant ant colony plunge headlong down the northern tunnel to rescue their companion, Tjoruy the ramshackle prophet of Osorus!

Mako the conjurer counts the adventurers to ensure they're still together, but with all the death and chaos he's been witness to since entering the lost city of the pharaohs, he no longer knows their true number!

Cruloc binds his own fearsome wounds (+1hp) and then Amethu and Garrin bless the barbarian with the holy orisons of Uthoth and Mitra! (+8hp and +6hp)

With Garrin in the lead and Loche pouring flammable oil behind them, the explorers race down the circular tunnel, past an empty sack lying on the ground, until their light reveals a fork in their path!



Actions?!



Map:

One square = 10 feet.





PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 12/14, Spells: 4/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 23/35
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 17/26, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 7/14, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 22/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Light Spell
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 15/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 16/21, 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 (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."
  Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 71 rounds
  Light (Mako): Duration: 23 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 stops at the fork, straining her senses to try and decide which way to go.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Bah! In this blackness, my tracking skills are worthless!" grumbles Cruloc. "After weeks in the desert and this sunken city, we likely smell as bad as poor Tjoruy. With luck, the ants have merely dragged him off to the nearest bathhouse."

[ravenn4544]

Amethu follows in the dim light. He reviews his magical options over and over while they shuffle through the maze. He comes up with no answers. He thinks, "Perhaps it is time to share knowledge among the mystics of the group? Who would that be?", scanning the dark figures around him.

He thinks of this crazed newcomer lost somewhere ahead, certainly endowed with some ability to have survived so long. "But an Osoron? Bah - worship the sun and stars indeed. Fools. His head is in the clouds, of that there is no doubt!"

Scanning again, he thinks perhaps the Easterner may be worthy of his attention... His thoughts trail off again to magical wonderings as he keeps an eye alert to the darkness...

[OGRE MAGE]

While the leaders determine which passage to check first, Xorxen investigates the empty sack on the ground.

[Scott308]

Loche

When he's done pouring the oil, Loche realizes the rest of the party has come to a halt. A fork, eh? Let me see if ah kin hear anythin' doon either path. The Pict moves forward into the left branch and tries to hear any sounds before doing the same in the right branch.

He has a 15% chance to Hear Noise. I assume you would prefer to roll so I don't know the results.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Grandfather? Where are you? Thank you for your help, but I'm afraid we've made a mess. Can you help me gather my things?" says Kiri to the air. He will set his grandfather to quickly gather the items that spilled out of his pack when he yanked out the empty sack, put them back and then follow the party.

"The sack is no mystery. It is my own," he replies to Loche.