Chapter 23: The Grave of Empire

[ravenn4544]

Amethu suggests that the group continues past the room of the Oracle and continue the exploration.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra steps towards the western door, standing guard while the wand is examined. If you need more space to carry the coins, put them in my pack.

[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







The horrific wand rises up into the air!

Then it lays itself upon the ground. Gold and silver coins, minted in lost Atlantis, follow it, stacking themselves into neat columns as the stone coffer empties itself! There might be a hundred gold pieces and twice as many silver.

Smiling at his little jest, Kiri cautiously approaches the macabre relic, sacred to the Oracle of Thanatos. He finds it forged of bone, gems and obsidian.


Actions?!


Map:

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



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, Lantern
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, Torch
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, Candle
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: 67 rounds.
Protection From Evil (Grigor): Target: self. Duration: 7 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

Watches as Kiri takes the wand, he doesn't mind touching it. Either it has an affliction or trigger or it doesn't. Even Gnasher wants to have a sniff, it looks as a tasty bone.

It has an obvious 'death' genre about it, so I am going to suggest that anything it does will relate to that.

"I have heard of necromancers who could speak with the dead, animate them and get them to do their bidding."

My original question to the Oracle was this:

But in this place of death, how can
we remain righteous? What Godly relic can we find to redeem ourselves?

I am not sure if the Oracle interpreted my question in the way I meant it, but it was to question how to stay 'not going over to the dark side'. And what could help us defeat the evil we find in this place. So, my gut feeling is that though this wand may have been used by an evil aligned priest, the object itself will not make us evil. On the contrary, whatever traits it has, they will help us overcome the evil we might face. Even if it doesn't just blast undead with holy radiance, it might help us pass unseen or be a key to open a portal or trigger some other divine effect.

Grigor makes the above as a reasoned argument regarding the wand, listening to others advice and comments. If Amethu or Kiri don't want to carry and try to use it, then he will volunteer.

Out of character, he hopes it doesn't attract demons to our presence or send us early to the waiting Abyss. If he handles it, he will try to study its features looking for anything like a trigger button, an inscribed command word, twisting the skull, pointing it at the wall and skeleton bones.

When we are ready to move out, he takes his place in the current marching order.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

She gasps when the wand rises out of the coffer, taking a few steps back, drawing her sword as if steel could protect her against such magic. She gasps anew when the coins rise out and stack themselves in neat piles of gold and silver. Her knees unlock and before she realizes, she is crouched before the coins...more wealth "than I have ever imagined! And I've imagined quite a bit! Crom's teeth! Look at all of it."
Cautiously, she reaches out and takes one of the gold coins. If she isn't cursed or struck by lightning, she grabs another and then another...

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri objectively appreciates the dark beauty of the artifact. He considers grasping it, but when he senses a curiosity from Grigor, he steps back.

"I agree we must be brave and handle it directly if we intend to make use of it. Please, be my guest, Grigor, if you wish to try. It does have the look of the religious, rather than simply arcane. Perhaps you would be more suited to bear it effectively..." he says.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Kiri's grin and good nature again do what no man or beast can - disarm Cruloc. Despite representing nearly all that he despises - he is foreign, he commands arcane supernatural powers, a long-dead ancestor does his bidding in this worldly realm, and - though the Cimmerian is loathe to admit it - the Khambujan is physically stronger than him. He ought to hate his guts, but he cannot.

"Very well. You say Grandfather has no ends, and I say his end will not come this day."

The mollification of Cruloc is shorter than a Cimmerian summer when he sees the thief beginning to pocket coins which she played no part in retrieving.

"Floating spores repel you like a day's work repels a Zingaran, but once danger has passed, the sight of gold removes all fear and seemliness from your person, Dahinna. A white-livered scoundrel, you appear." His blue northern eyes burn, and uncharacteristically, he does not shout. The gravity of his words is unmistakable in his even tone. "Replace the coins you've taken or pay for each one with a finger."

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will study the wand floating in air, without actually handling it yet, before it is put away. "Let see if there is any clues or or some magical aura that we can glean it's purpose"

[Urson]

Zahra
(Answering Grigor's question)

But in this place of death, how can
we remain righteous? What Godly relic can we find to redeem ourselves?

I am just a warrior, and no scholar. What little I understand of such things suggests that, unless we handle some enchanted item so evil that it contaminates us like waste on a night soil bucket- our nature is unchanged. The righteous will remain righteous, with no need to redeem themselves.

I know some magic items force an alignment change, but none of the PC's have gotten zapped. I think we're OK for now.

[hedgeknight]

"Floating spores repel you like a day's work repels a Zingaran, but once danger has passed, the sight of gold removes all fear and seemliness from your person, Dahinna. A white-livered scoundrel, you appear." His blue northern eyes burn, and uncharacteristically, he does not shout. The gravity of his words is unmistakable in his even tone. "Replace the coins you've taken or pay for each one with a finger."

Dahinna allows the coin she has in her hand to lie in the palm of her hand as she rolls her eyes up at Cruloc. "Really? You're going to threaten me now? I damn near died in this very room! We've ALL paid our price in this hellhole, and some of us paid the ultimate price on this...whatever search we are on. There are plenty of coins to go around. Here," she flips the coin to the Cimmerian.
"Or would you rather have silver?"

[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








Amethu, Kiri and Grigor examine the skull-crowned relic of antiquity. They divine neither its purpose nor the means with which to wield it.

Meanwhile, the sight of so many coins sets Cruloc and Dahinna to arguing.

Grigor and Zahra opine upon the nature of evil as Torix keeps watch at the edge of the hungry darkness.

Then Grigor dares take up the deathly wand. He finds it cold as the grave. [Grigor please roll 1d20 and post your action regardless of the outcome]

Imagining it possessed of a dark, necromantic power, the gypsy priest aims the fearsome artifact at the fungi-ridden corpses...



...but the dead do not rise.


Actions?!




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, Lantern
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, Torch
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, Candle
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: 66 rounds.
Protection From Evil (Grigor): Target: self. Duration: 6 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]

Picts value gold and silver for making torques, rings, and armbands. And for trading with for Zingaran, Vanir, and Barachan pirate goods-- and occasional Aquilonian things sold by rogue and rather foolhardy Aquilonians. But Torix has never been to a city and seen metal coins being used as currency. He possibly underestimates the value of trove. In terms of the power to the possessor that it represents. But it seems that the gold and silver have powerfully affected the Cimmerian's and the Zamoran's thinking.

He thinks about how to translate into Common and says, "A hunter joined the hunt on the last day. All of the hunters' family's get the same share of the meat." That's what Picts say. Because all of the hunters were lucky together to get the kill. Maybe because the last hunter joined, the forest gave the kill. But this is different. This is war against humans and sorcerers, not hunting. I joined late in the war. You have been wounded, almost to death. I will take half a share, if you don't oppose. Fifteen stacks of coins for seven people. Two for the long fighters, one for me. But maybe you divide to include the dead fighters' families too. I don't know the custom.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Gestures a few random wand articulations. Grigor: (Wisdom vs 15) check for Random Roll [1d20]=17

He 'hmms', maybe something comes to mind.

He will comment that as we all take equal reward we should all take equal share if any plunder. There are no shops or merchants about so really it makes little difference to dividing coins now or later.

Once we are ready to leave this room he will take his allocated place alongside Gnasher in the current MO.

[Urson]

Zahra
Collect the wealth now and share it out when we're done. Zahra's tone says she's already tired of this debate.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The rogue nods as Torix speaks and says, "See Cruloc? Even the Pict gets it! It's just coin. There's plenty to go around."

And just as she is about to stuff her pockets, Grigor picks up the skull staff...and Dahinna's mouth drops open and something sounding like a "urk" comes out. When he doesn't drop over dead or turn into a demon, she relaxes and reaches for more coins...then Zahra pipes in.
Glancing at her companion, she elaborately holds the coins up in the air and drops them on the floor.
"So...who's gonna carry all of 'em? The Cimmerian?"

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

The Northman remains stoically still as the coin flipped in his direction hits him squarely in the eyeball, then falls to the stone floor at his feet. He blinks repeatedly, struggles mightily not to wince, and for the first time since a village elder hided a young Cruloc for stoning the village's ceremonial chickens, a tear escapes his eye and rolls down his cheek, carving a channel through the accumulated grime.

His penchant for immediate, ill-considered anger has twice ended in humiliation. First, Grandfather, then the Zamoran.

"Kkkrra-...zhh... Krazh..mm..." There is no word for introspection in Cimmerian, but that does not prevent him from trying to invent one. His last bout of soul-searching came years ago during yet another round of itchiness following a visit to a Tarantia brothel.

Chastened, he gathers and pockets one-seventh of the coins.

"This ought to buy a round or two, eh?" he proclaims with forced levity.

[hedgeknight]

Cruloc
Chastened, he gathers and pockets one-seventh of the coins.

"This ought to buy a round or two, eh?" he proclaims with forced levity.

Dahinna, half expecting to have her hair scalded off by the Cimmerian's wrath, instead smiles and stands up. She walks over to Cruloc and lays a hand on his arm. "We have to get through this together. As fucked as we are, all of us are some crazy ass friends. It's the closest thing I've ever had to a family. Okay?"

[ravenn4544]

Dahinna, half expecting to have her hair scalded off by the Cimmerian's wrath, instead smiles and stands up. She walks over to Cruloc and lays a hand on his arm. "We have to get through this together. As fucked as we are, all of us are some crazy ass friends. It's the closest thing I've ever had to a family. Okay?"

Amethu takes a pause at this - surprising himself. "It is indeed as you say. For many dangers have we faced together - and many more to come. Yet we have seen this through as one. Let that continue..." He reflects on the past weeks and months before making ready to take the next steps into darkness.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Accustomed to having to pay for female contact, Cruloc instinctively reaches for his purse to tip the genial Zamoran. He stays his hand, however, and nods stiffly at Dahinna's heartfelt words, eyes fixed on the fungus-coated floor. At the mention of family, the barbarian turns, swallows harder than when he first partook of Uncle Grek's badger and pine needle stew, and starts off toward the southern exit, mumbling something about 'hearing a noise down there'.

[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







The explorers of lost Thracia secure the ancient Atlantean coins from the stone coffer. (90gp, 200sp)

Tensions threaten to boil over, but they quickly subside when Dahinna touches Cruloc's arm and the barbarian is visibly moved.

Dahinna returns her hand to her side and ten gold coins fall from her sleeve and clatter on the stone floor.

Ten fingers worth of gold by Cruloc's reckoning.


Actions?!


Map:

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




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, Lantern
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, Torch
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, Candle
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: 65 rounds.
Protection From Evil (Grigor): Target: self. Duration: 5 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)