Chapter 13: Underground City of the Demon God

[OGRE MAGE]

Having found no food to collect in this underground, Xorxen is again at the mercy of his party for nourishment. He is happy to take scraps, but he doesn’t beg.

”Amethu, you should tend to your own wounds as well, or try to stay away from further injury, at least.”

After his stretching and meditation, the masked monk appears ready to depart again.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin offers food to Xorxen, or any others who need to share. "We should eat this before it goes bad. Or gets any worse, I suppose," he says, offering meat from the giant scorpion. He also offers rations.

One days rations and scorpion meat removed from inventory.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu inquires about rations as he no longer carries any. He will take the advice of his comrades and expand a prayer on himself. "That will leave but one more healing prayer for the day.."

CLW on Amethu Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 8

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict shares some of his rations with Amethu. It tastes lik' jobby, bit better than hee haw, eh?

1 more ration subtracted.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Upon waking Mako forgets that he can't be seen by the others which explains why no one wished him a good morning. As the others are eating their breakfast Mako finds a quiet place to sit and read his spellbook, preparing new spells to use in the coming day. He will finish any food from yesterday's catch or go without if none is left. When the others in the group assemble to move on Mako does the same but changes his position to the rear so no one steps on his heels or toes.

Spells refreshed.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen checks the surrounding area over carefully, looking for any possible traps. He also looks around for any tracks or a discernible trail that their foes might have left behind when they fled.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen continues to stand at the ready, for almost anything at this point.

If the party suggests that he move ahead alone as a scout, he does so, as quietly as possible, whether he is aided magically or not.

[Inferno]

The Vast Subterranean Caverns Beneath the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Seven. Morning?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






Another sunless dawn comes in the volcanic caverns under the earth. Amethu calls upon the mercy of Uthoth to heal those who had not inhaled the miraculous mists of Osorus. (Zahra gains 8hp. Amethu gains 9hp)

Mako the conjurer, through sleight of hand and other mindboggling legerdemain, renders Xorzen unseen to the human eye!

The explorers of the abyss leave the heat and light of the regions of fire and descend through the chill darkness of more breathtaking subterranean wonders.



Beneath their feet, the worn stone steps leave no trace of the bestial prehuman things that stalk them.

Overhead, when their torchlight can reach the cavern vaults, looming forests of stalactites stand revealed.




After another day's journey through the spectacle of this astonishing realm, the pilgrims to the underground city of the demon god are ascending wide switchbacks up a subterranean cliff. 30 feet ahead, their unseen scout Xorzen comes to a branch. He peers both ways and discovers to his alarm that high above the party skulk a feral pack of the degenerate creatures of Zargoth!




They crouch out of sight of the party, lurking beyond the edge of a towering cliff, readying to push colossal rocks and boulders down upon the unsuspecting adventurers!

Xorzen has only seconds to warn them!


Actions, Xorzen?!


Map:

PCs are climbing the path upward. Lighter rocks are the path. Darker rocks are the steep cliffs. Each character is ~5' diameter.





PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 14/14, Spells: 4/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 26/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/14, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl,
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 18/21, 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 (All except Amethu and Zahra): 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."
  Invisibility x2 (Mako): Targets: self and Xorzen

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)

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen turns around to his friends and cups his hands to his mouth before shouting.

"LOOK UP!!! Mako and Amethu, retreat! The rest of you charge forward! NOW!!!!!!"

With that, the nimble monk sprints silently towards the enemy, trying to position himself behind them (B5) so he can shove them over the edge if he gets the chance.

[Inferno]

DM:

Suddenly, the explorers of the underworld hear Xorzen's eerily disembodied voice echoing from somewhere ahead of them!

"LOOK UP!!! Mako and Amethu, retreat! The rest of you charge forward! NOW!!!!!!"


Actions, everyone except Xorzen?!

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako looks up in shock. He does what he is told and retreats around the bend out of range. He wonders how Xorzen saw him. Can invisible people see each other? He couldn't see Xorzen. Maybe Xorzen has abilities beyond his own?

[ChubbyPixie]

Without pausing for thought, Kiri does as he is told and sprints forward, only glancing up over his left shoulder as he reaches full speed.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin sprints ahead, looking up as he does so.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra begins running even as she looks up. She attempts to zigzag on the narrow trail, drawing her sword as she rounds the bend.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu falls back and watches the tunnel behind them.

[Inferno]

The Vast Subterranean Caverns Beneath the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Seven. Evening?, 19th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia




At unseen Xorzen's urgent cries, the explorers look upward and see the bestial proto-men of Zargoth lurking above them!




The powerful primitives push titanic boulders down upon the adventurers in a deadly landslide!




Warned by their invisible scout, the explorers bolt out of the way, narrowly avoiding certain death!

The savage beast men ready more boulders as Xorzen and Zahra lead the charge up the steep switchback path, drawing their weapons for battle!


Actions?!


Map:

The lower part of the map is lower in altitude. The upper part of the map is higher in altitude.
PCs are climbing the path upward. Lighter rocks are the path. Darker rocks are the steep cliffs. Each character is ~5' diameter.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

The party is not Surprised.
On the map, the boulders fall straight down, from the beastmen toward the bottom of the map.

PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 14/14, Spells: 4/7 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 26/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/14, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 10/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl,
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 18/21, 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 (All except Amethu and Zahra): 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."
  Invisibility x2 (Mako): Targets: self and Xorzen

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]

Kiri will run up the incline with his trident and shield and attack either B5 or B6, depending on whichever one Zahra attacks - he'll go for the other one, attempting to impale it and hurl it bodily out into the void:
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, vs. Lg: [3d4+7] = 8+7 = 15

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict draws his sling, snapping off a shot at the farthest beast man (B1).

Sling of Sutehk (20): [1d20+3] = 16+3 = 19 Bullet Damage S/M: [1d4+3] = 1+3 = 4; Dam L: [1d6+3] = 1+3 = 4

[Urson]

Zahra

Snarling her catlike battle cry, Zahra attacks (B6).

att [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13
Sword vs sm, med [1d8+5] = 5+5 = 10

[ravenn4544]

Amethu will move up as far as he can to lend aid where needed.