Chapter 22: Underworld

[Urson]

Zahra
You live to burgle another day. That's what happened.

I..I saw Death, again. It was- she shudders. It waited out there- for you.

Zahra frowns. Why is she suddenly seeing these things? What has changed about her?

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The rogue blinks a few times as she listens to her companions. She wipes the tears away, looks at her finger to make sure it is still attached to her hand and her hand is still attached to her arm, then gets up and sighs heavily.
"Well, whoever saved me, you have my thanks and my friendship. And, I promise I won't burgle from you."

[jemmus]

Torix watches the passageway to the right of the rope bridge, short bow ready. Like all of his kind, the illiterate savage has great patience. Patience learned from the boredom of village life, and from hours of waiting still in hunts.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Eleven. Late Morning. 21st day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







The vanished spectre plagues Zahra's mind. Her bone-white skin crawls with gooseflesh. "I..I saw Death, again. It was... It waited out there... for you," she tells Dahinna with a shudder.

Cruloc answers Dahinna's bewildered questions as Torix whets his knife in case amputation should still prove necessary.

Grigor the gypsy holds diving rods and tuning forks where the necromantic phantasm had been. He and Gnasher find no sign of the ominous presence that haunts them.

At the Thracian reliquary, undiscovered by those that toppled the statue of Thanatos, Amethu and Kiri find musty, ancient writings on liquid stained parchment.



Amethu the scholar descends upon them with a palpable thirst for knowledge. The sorcerer-priest believes some damaged pages to be historical accounts of Thracia after the fall, written in Atlantean. Others appear to be eldritch incantations, scribed in the language of magicians. Still others seem to be holy writings of the cult of Thanatos.

Kiri tests the foul tasting rivulets that endure among the broken glass. Then, probing carefully and thoroughly into the reliquary, he discovers treasure: four scintillating blood-red gems, several dozen platinum coins minted long ago, and a dagger bearing the likeness of Death.




Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas were visible this round. All else is from memory.




PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 16/17, Spells: 3/8 1st lvl, 4/5 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 19/25, Torch nearby
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 19/29, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/28, Torch
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 12/29, Torch
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 10/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The gems and ancient coins get Dahinna's attention. Seeing the dagger, however, bearing the sign of Thanatos, gives the rogue a shiver. She edges closer to Zahra. "Not today, my friend, not today."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Ahhh, there IS more here than moth-eaten scrolls," Cruloc says with satisfaction at the sight of the treasures uncovered by Kiri. "A handsome stipend for splitting a score of skulls." He grins at the clever alliteration he has managed.

His habitual scowl soon returns, and following a wary glance about the chamber, he warns the brawny Easterner. "Mind you, your Grandfather's share comes out of yours."

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra offers an awkward hug to her swordsister Dahinna.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

We haven't really gone far today. Trying to decipher and study the scripts might take some time. It does delay any progress but we are not pushed for time are we.

Is there a benefit to staying here or retreating back to the temple ruin in order to glean any mystery the tomes hold or shall we press on and keep the study for later?

He asks the group. He has a foot in both choices as if any of the works are spell volumes or scrolls we can use that helps as well as giving time to refresh devotions and prayers. On the other hand, something moved the bodies in our absence and delay could just see more guards replace the recent dead, thus making progress harder.

On balance, he opts for scouting more corridors and halls now.

[jemmus]

Torix eyes the dagger. "Probably ensorcelled," he thinks. He avoids it and the old pages as well.

I agree to more exploration.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu reluctantly acknowledges that now is not that time for study. It can wait. He packs it away carefully. "Indeed, lead us on... our quest remains before us."

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The normally shy rogue returns Zahra's hug...and answers Grigor's question right after: "Let's move forward, not backward. Let's make sure we can defend this chamber. A little more searching and a lot more light will help."

[Urson]

Zahra
This room is defensible- IF we are sure of all the exits. Zahra starts a slow clockwise search of the walls, starting from the double doors. She's looking for any secret doors.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri laughs out loud at Cruloc's pronouncement.

"I don't believe Grandfather cares about such things anymore..." he says.

He'll count the platinum pieces in front of the party before storing both them and the blood red gems safely in his pack. "Later, we'll divide them. ...er, but no share for the old man, " he says and chuckles to himself.

Turning his attention to the dagger, he'll look for any magical symbols that might indicate an enchanted nature. Or any that might indicate an evil nature. He'll then offer it to Dahinna.

"I'm not really a knife guy. Please take this if you wish. Tomorrow I can attempt to determine what properties it might possess. It might just be a knife," he says.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The rogue cautiously accepts the dagger, praying to Mitra it doesn't come to life and seek her heart. She hefts it a few times, practices with the grip, and then tucks it into her belt. "I pray it helps me avenge our fallen and brings death to these freakin' worshipers of Thanatos."
She then helps Zahra search the room for any hidden entrances.

[jemmus]

Torix is puzzled by the reference to "Grandfather," but says nothing. He maintains his familiar on guard stance, short bow in hand.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Zahra is no featherbrained barmaiden. If she says she saw Death, Cruloc is disposed to believe her. "Foul tidings," he mutters.

Grandfather disappears... Death appears...

His mind wrestles with the possible connection.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Through the double doors to the east came those wild guard dogs, Gnasher at least can pick up their days old scent. My faithful hound, more of an animal companion than dog of war, probably half the size of those mastiff brutes.

Gnasher is a typical spotted Dalmatian type hound.

So without actually going through those doors, I am thinking kennels, perhaps a room for a kennel master.

The west I remember lead to a courtyard type place with pillars and an altar which overlooked a vast chasm. If we can not alert the giant bats swooping on us, I think we ought to go that way.

My scimitar does shed light, so when drawn I can provide the extra illumination asked for by Dahinna. But when we travel he suggests dimmed lanterns and will hold his shortbow. Gnasher held on a leash to stop him running off.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Eleven. Late Morning. 21st day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Glittering treasure lightens the mood after the nigh-fatal poisoning and the premonition of Death.

Dahinna and Zahra, sisters bound by bloodshed, search the temple rotunda and find no secret doors hidden amongst its magnificent architecture.

Kiri examines the death-motif dagger and discerns no letters of Atlantis nor any other language etched therein.

The explorers of the distant past agree to continue deeper into the lost Underworld, but in which direction?


Actions?! (and votes please)


Map:

One square = 10 feet.




PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 16/17, Spells: 3/8 1st lvl, 4/5 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 19/25, Torch
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 19/29, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/28, Torch
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 12/29, Torch
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 10/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Option 1, west towards the altar, pillars & bat cave.

As posted before, he leashes Gnasher, sheathes his scimitar and proceeds in the chosen direction with his bow nocked, at least initially to clear away any bats or other creatures that approach.

if any sudden attacks are called for, here is my macro:

Grigor shortbow attacks [1d20+3]=20+3=23 [1d6]=4 [1d20+3]=6+3=9 [1d6]=5

[jemmus]

Torix
I agree to going toward the bats first. I think we will go through this whole... He doesn't know the right word in Common. ...House in the end to kill all of the death worshipers.