Chapter 23: The Grave of Empire

[jemmus]

Said like true Cimmerian, Torix says, but not in an unfriendly way.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







"Who else comes bearing questions?" asks the otherworldly Oracle of Thanatos.

Dahinna whispers in trepidation. "Wise Oracle, what awaits us below? Who...or what is the Minotaur King?"

The Oracle addresses Dahinna, "Handmaiden of graves, the Minotaur King rules the descendants of the bestial slaves that overthrew their masters in the final days of Thracia."

Learned Amethu remembers a time-ravaged mural depicting the Atlantean gods cursing the hubris of the ancient Thracians. Plagues of bestial monsters befell the city-state but were defeated and enslaved.

Zahra repeats Kiri's question, and the Oracle repeats her answer.

Grigor asks, "...in this place of death, how can we remain righteous? What Godly relic can we find to redeem ourselves?"

The Oracle replies, "Faithful servant of Death, such a holy relic was within thy reach as thou slept."

Then the eerie figure looks past Dahinna, Grigor and Zahra. "Who else comes bearing questions?"


Actions?!


Map Detail:


Map:





PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 17/17, Spells: 7/8 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 21/29, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Glowing Scimitar
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 24/29, Unsettled
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 75 rounds. Holds Amethu's Lantern

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

Not sure he enjoys being called out as a 'faithful servant of death', particularly in a temple of a death God. He might think my piety a little on the short side and give me penance or purgatory.

"Bag, humbug, you craven witch. Lies and deceit are wrapped in your vain tongue. Beware the devil woman, with evil autumn eyes."

He raises his holy symbols and invokes a circle of Protection around him and Gnasher.

Protection from Evil cast.

[jemmus]

Torix considers the witch's pronouncements. Surely she knows that the people before are not death worshippers, but armed outsiders. Yet she seems to speak to them with candor-- if somewhat cryptically. He'll listen, but he still won't risk changing his fortune by speaking with the death god's oracle. When he someday meets the death god, he wants to do it without having spoken with it before.

[ChubbyPixie]

The Oracle replies, "Faithful servant of Death, such a holy relic was within thy reach as thou slept."

"Did we miss something in the little room?" says Kiri, quietly.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra raises a snow-white eyebrow. If we missed something, it was in that dungpile of mold and fungus. I suppose we should go back and burn the room clean.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

"'Handmaiden of graves,' I kinda like that," Dahinna says with a slight smile and shrug. "Still, I do not relish facing these bestial men down below."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"She calls you 'Faithful servant of Death' and Dahinna 'Handmaiden of graves' as a matter of custom. It is a meaningless honorific, O wise Grigor."

"Fair maiden of eternal rest, head-turner of the headless," Cruloc starts, searching for words he has heard but never used, "Does this relic lie above us in the temple where Arachne was transformed?"

[ravenn4544]

Amethu yet remains skeptical even though the sagacious powers of the Oracle are compelling. He remains quiet. He slowly moves forward into the room to scan the darkness to reveal any insight into their next steps or questions to the deathly oracle.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







"Who else comes bearing questions?" asks the unearthly Oracle of Thanatos.

Grigor curses the strange Oracle and casts gypsy wards around himself to protect against her evil.

But Cruloc will ask a question. "Does this relic lie above us in the temple where Arachne was transformed?"

"No, apostle of corpses," the Oracle answers.

Wise Amethu enters the chamber of skulls and peers into the preternatural shadows but dares not ask a question. Torix the Pict savage also bites his tongue.

Thrice has she asked. Seeing that no others will accept her gift of prophecy, the Oracle says to Cruloc, Dahinna, Grigor, Kiri and Zahra: "Pious disciples of Death, go now to faithfully serve the will of thy master, Thanatos. For now thou belong to Him."

Then the veiled creature steps back into the black unnatural darkness and is seen no more.


Actions?!


Map Detail:


Map:





PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 17/17, Spells: 7/8 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 21/29, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Glowing Scimitar
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 24/29, Unsettled
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 74 rounds. Holds Amethu's Lantern
Protection From Evil (Grigor): Target: self. Duration:14 rounds

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)

[jemmus]

The hairs on Torix's arms rise and stand and an internal shudder goes through his body. It was the common belief that letting a demon know your name gave it control over you. But the witch did the opposite. She bound the men by giving them names. He anxiously looks at Grigor's face and expression, hoping to see brave confidence. Perhaps the shaman from far to the east, or across the sea, has a way to get his god to break the bindings of the god of death itself?

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The rogue shudders as the oracle disappears and then looks around at her companions. "Well, at least she didn't try to kill us...like every other damn thing in the place has tried to do."

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Waves his scimitar and holy symbols at the darkness, swishing to ward off any invisible ghostly threats.

He tells Gnasher to leave sniffing the wall of skulls.

The shape of the room indicates a circular chamber. I will walk around it but not step into the star or pentagram circle. Investigating any shelves, boxes, bodies? that I come across.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra goes with Grigor. I do not like that this Oracle believed us to be disciples of Death- unless she has gone from wisdom to senility from being down here in the darkness so long.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Hreh! I belong to Thanatos, do I? The Aquilonians once trowed Cimmeria theirs, but they wound up dragging their guts back to Tarantia!"

[ravenn4544]

Amethu also enters the room cautiously. "The questioned we posed were wise. Indeed, we did glean some clue of a boon from it's divination. Do we go back to search for that - or continue on our quest..?" He seems a little distracted as he ponders the words and experience of the encounter.

[Urson]

Zahra
Let us continue on our quest, but remember the clues- we can investigate later.

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Morning? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Grigor and Zahra dare enter and walk the curving wall of human skulls. The gypsy's shimmering scimitar can barely pierce the supernatural darkness. Careful not to set foot into the hexagram, they come full circle finding nothing further.

The strange prophecies of the eerie Oracle of Thanatos echo in the explorers' minds as they consider their next fateful steps.

Torix cannot help but shudder. His new companions now belong to the God of Death.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. L = lantern. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:





PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 17/17, Spells: 7/8 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 18/25
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 21/29, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Glowing Scimitar
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 28/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 24/29, Unsettled
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Unseen Servant (Kiri): Duration: 73 rounds. Holds Amethu's Lantern
Protection From Evil (Grigor): Target: self. Duration:13 rounds

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

"Has she gone? Truly?" He wonders if leaving the room and returning will summon her again. He doesn't want to find out.

"If a relic to help was within reach, I suspect the witch means we already have it. Faith, strength of arms, piety and divine help, arcane magics."

He favours pressing on down the next corridor.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri stares after the witch for a moment as she vanishes, then shrugs, by all appearances not concerned which god he belongs to.

"It seems to me wise to retrieve the artifact sooner than later," he says. "I do not believe we already possess it."