Chapter 15: Empire Under the Earth

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, near death, strikes in a panic.

To Hit (THACO 20): [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15
Staff of Uthoth - Damage: = S/M/L: [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Like a fear-crazed tiger he leaps – slashing with his blade as if it were some reaper’s scythe!

Attack w/longsword [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20
Longsword damage [1d8+3] = 1+3 = 4

"Back, you grizzled swine! Or eat my steel!"

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin steps up, attacking the nearest creature with his new blade. Using my old macro for the new sword, sorry. I will set up a new one once I get it identified.
To Hit with +1 Long Sword: [1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20; Damage: sm - [1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5; lg - [1d12+1] = 4+1 = 5

[Scott308]

Loche

Weel. That's. Juist. Pumpin'. Ducky! grumbles the Pict as he charges, leaping at his enemy (B4), dagger first.

Jeweled Dagger +1/ +2 vs. Undead (20): [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16; Damage: [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5; Damage, Large: [1d3+1] = 1+1 = 2

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen startles when he sees the enemy arise, wondering if his group will have to fight there way out of every single chamber in this accursed place.

He stabs at the closest beast, picking up right where he left off combat wise.

Attack w/ +2 Javelin of Men-khetu [1d20+2] = 6+2 = 8 Dam [1d6+3] = 1+3 = 4

[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. Morning?, 21st day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






In the second hatching chamber of the colony, among the gigantic ant eggs, the 'dead' rise up!

Defending the fallen against this sudden threat, Mako drags Zahra's body back to safety and stops her bleeding, saving her life!

The adventurers retaliate against the savage beast men! Loche, Cruloc, Kiri, Amethu and Garrin all strike true with enough power to slay a man. But only one of their enemies falls (B3), beneath the three blades of Kiri's merciless Claw of Chobek!




Eerily, one animal-masked Verulian (V1)...




...drags back the dead, behaving just like a giant worker ant!

The adventurers find their footing and only Kiri is wounded in the beast men's second hammering onslaught! (-3hp)

As ever, the faces of the masked Verulian underdwellers (V1, V2) are hidden. But the beast men of Zargoth seem strangely just as devoid of expression. They are neither ferocious and roaring as they were before, nor are they cowed and broken like the human slaves of the hive.

Instead, they behave bizarrely akin to the living dead! Unnatural and unnerving. Emotionless and lurching with a fierce, single minded ruthlessness! Yet they live. They draw breath, they bleed, and their flesh betrays no sign of decay or rot.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. T = Hovering torch. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:



Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

No initiative rolled. Monsters go last.
Kiri: Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 11+4 = 15, Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8] = 4+8 = 12 Hits for 12 damage.
B1 attacks Xorzen: [1d20] = 6, damage: [1d8+1] = 3+1 = 4 Misses Xorzen.
B2 attacks Garrin (1) or Cruloc (2): [1d2] = 1, to hit: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5 Misses Garrin.
V2 charges Kiri: [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20, damage: [1d8] = 3 Hits Kiri for 3hp damage.
B4 attacks Amethu (1) or Loche (2): [1d2] = 1, to hit: [1d20] = 6, damage: [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7 Misses Amethu.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 1/14, Spells: 2/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/35, Torch
  Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/26, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 9/14, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 10/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 6/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: -5/21

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: 42 rounds
  Invisibility (Mako): Target: self

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)

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict quietly continues his assault on the beastmen (B4).

Jeweled Dagger +1/ +2 vs. Undead (20): [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16; Damage: [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2; Damage, Large: [1d3+1] = 2+1 = 3

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Around and about, the Northman weaves a figure eight of steel.

"These caverns are indeed dark, yet fear not! The glint from my sword will light your way to Hell!"

Attack w/longsword [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18
Longsword damage [1d8+3] = 1+3 = 4

Ooc: Cruloc targets B2.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu, exhausted, misses a step...

To Hit (THACO 20): [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10
Staff of Uthoth - Damage: = S/M/L: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen stabs at the beastman again, hoping for better results.

Attack w/ +2 Javelin of Men-khetu [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12 Dam [1d6+3] = 5+3 = 8

"It is as if their very will has been absorbed into the ants hive mind mentality."

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

With Zahra out of immediate danger of bleeding out, Mako works on illuminating the scene. He picks up Kiri's torch and relights it off of Cruloc's candle and/or torch (don't recall which it was) and then plants it into the ground a few feet behind its owner.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin attacks the foul beastman before him (B1).

To hit with +2 Longsword [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18; damage sm [1d8+2] = 5+2 = 7; damage l [1d12+2] = 1+2 = 3

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri lashes out with his enchanted trident, but the blades encounter only the stale air of the cavern:

Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 4+4 = 8 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8] = 1+8 = 9, vs. Lg: [3d4+7] = 8+7 = 15

[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. Morning?, 21st day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






In the abandoned egg chamber of the doomed colony of giant ants, albino Verulians and beast men attack with reckless savagery! Inexplicably, they act as the living dead, yet still draw breath!

"It is as if their very will has been absorbed into the ants' hive mind mentality," exclaims Xorzen.

Mako of the mysterious East relights a fallen torch to ensure they aren't thrown into darkness here, so very far from the sunlit world of Men.

Loche the Pict plunges his jeweled dagger to the hilt into a lurching beast man (B4) and jerks it free, spraying blood from a ghastly wound!



But it's only the beginning of the adventurers' merciless onslaught.

Xorzen stabs at a staggering beast man's gut and his javelin's spearhead erupts from its lower back in a vomit of hot blood and shite! The disemboweled primitive (B1) falls to the ground dead!

Cruloc sinks his blade deep, somewhere below a gruesome bestial face, and a convulsive shudder heaves the vast bulk of his lumbering simian foeman! (B2)

His enemy slaughtered by Xorzen, Garrin of Argos pivots without missing a step. A long spurt of crimson follows the singing edge of his glittering sword and Cruloc's beast man crumples, his belly muscles cut clean through! (B2)

Animal-masked Verulians (V1, V2) lunge into the fray without hesitation and rend at the invaders with their bloody, bare hands! (3hp damage to Garrin, 4hp to Kiri)

The eerie mammalian thralls of the insect hive fight on without wavering!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. T = Hovering torch. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Map:



Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

No initiative rolled. Monsters go last.
V1 charges Garrin: [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16, damage: [1d8] = 3 Hit for 3hp damage.
V2 attacks Kiri (1) or Amethu (2): [1d2] = 1, to hit: [1d20] = 20, damage: [1d8] = 4 Hits Kiri for 4hp damage.
B4 attacks Amethu (1) or Loche (2): [1d2] = 1, to hit: [1d20] = 3, damage: [1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3 Misses Amethu.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 1/14, Spells: 2/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/35, Torch
  Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 5/26, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 5/14, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 10/25
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Torch planted
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 6/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: -5/21

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: 41 rounds
  Invisibility (Mako): Target: self

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)

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Springing forward over the slain beastman, Cruloc pivots right and thrusts his longsword at the Verulian harrying Kiri.

"You lice dropping!"

The Cimmerian’s sword flashes like white fire in the torchlight.

Attack w/longsword [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15
Longsword damage [1d8+3] = 6+3 = 9

[ravenn4544]

Amethu is spurred on by how twisted the Verulians in this unholy place have become. An abomination to the legacy of that great culture. He lashes out with what strength remains.

To Hit (THACO 20): [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15
Staff of Uthoth - Damage: = S/M/L: [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri swivels Cranach the Claw of Chobek around in one hand in a vicious uppercut, striking the zombie-like Verulian hard under the chin with the blunt end.

Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:19): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 18+4 = 22 Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8] = 1+8 = 9, vs. Lg: [3d4+7] = 6+7 = 13

Got my fantasy universes all mixed up there for a sec.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen looks behind him, lest the group be set upon by the many huge ants crawling around the place.

The tactic causes his shaft to fly wide of its mark. Attack w/ +2 Javelin of Men-khetu [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5 Dam [1d6+3] = 6+3 = 9

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin attacks the foe before him.

To hit with +2 Longsword [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20; damage sm [1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10; damage l [1d12+2] = 11+2 = 13

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako moves back to Zahra and watches over her.