Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Two. Midmorning. 14th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Within ancient domains marked by the hieroglyph of Death, the explorers of the Great Pyramid stand alone in the memorial chamber of the fallen.
Offerings to mighty Sutekh shimmer seductively from atop the altar. Hundreds of gold coins, a sapphire, ruby, turquoise, opal, emerald, golden animal mask, and more.
Arthfael of Cimmeria looks with suspicion upon the sparkling treasure.
Loche the Pict tends to Roan’s wounds and checks the altar for traps without touching the glimmering tribute. Kneeling behind the altar, the thief searches with nimble fingers, their sensitive tips gently probing for projections too small for the eye to detect. Loche discovers no mechanical dangers yet, and continues searching.
Mako of Khitai holds his sorcerous beacon aloft and asks Loche to heal unconscious Gronda with the healing waters that Mako took from the font in the secret shrine of Osorus.
Kiri the wizard-warrior looks at the treasure sidelong, suspecting an ingenious illusion. He wonders if it could possibly be the fabled Treasure of Xuthalhotep, said to reside in the great Pharaoh’s tomb, in tiers deep beneath this one.
None dare touch the riches, there for the taking.
None, save one. Profaning the sacred offerings to Sutekh, Attila the barbarian grabs a handful of golden coins, feels their weight in his hand, and returns them. “Somebody bag these,” he says as he turns to join Garrin in binding wounds.
Nothing happens.
And then suddenly it does.
The air vibrates. The darkness stirs. A deeper shadow slithers among the shadows. Hisses of serpents fill their ears. An immense black shape writhes to life from out of that darkness. Solidifying, transforming, becoming.
The ebon manifestation towers over them, eerie, hideous and unearthly.
Tentacle shapes undulate at its edges. In profile, the distinct visage of an alien wolf can be discerned, like that of Sutekh, god of discord, suffering and violence.
The gigantic, terrible being does not pale before Mako's conjured light.
The adventurers feel their skin crawl and their blood run cold. Its baleful eyes burn with a cold fire. They glare with bottomless malice upon the intruders; Attila most of all.
Actions?!
Map Detail:
PCs are the first two letters of their name, in white. The Sutekh-like manifestation is "S."
PC Status:
- Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 10/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 19/21
Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 5, HP: 13/18, Laying Hands: 1/1
Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: -4/17
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/7, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, Torch
Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 11/18
Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 2: Move: 15", AC: 4, HP: 18/23, Torch
- 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): 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."
Light (Mako): Duration: 75 rounds