Chapter 22: Underworld

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

The Zamoran rogue watches the bats fall into the chasm, but can't help but wonder what's next. "Let's get off this damn bridge!" she hisses, holding her torch looking ahead and then off to her right.
"Where does this bridge go? Perhaps it is a better way."

[ChubbyPixie]

When the way clears, Kiri moves quickly north with the others to exit the bridge. He wonders how populous is this subterranean community of zealots? Have they already killed them all? If not, they are in for a rough ride, he fears...

He wonders what Grandfather is up to right now.

[Inferno]

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







In the vast, mysterious underworld, the raiders of history's lost secrets slowly cross the rope bridge over the deep black void.

As Cruloc and Torix decide who should lead, Zahra the amazon moves past the men toward the northern colonnade, at Grigor's behest. Her fiery torch pushes back the shadows, revealing that all the corpses they left here two days ago are now gone! Men, dogs, and Iago. Dried blood, and plenty of it, shows where the dead fell.

The stately columns of the magnificent hall are now scarred with deep gouges and its eastern door is sundered. Darkness lies beyond.

Meanwhile, at the crossroad on the rope bridge, Amethu adds his lantern to Dahinna's torchlight, revealing more missing dead in the eastern tunnel. Dahinna suggests they venture there.

At the once-riotous battlefield, all is deathly still. Only their echoing whispers and footfalls break the ominous silence.


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: 16/17, Spells: 3/8 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, 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
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)

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra waits at the scene of the battle, trying to watch all directions. She'll hold position until everyone gathers.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu's pierce whisper is intended for the group as they cross the bridge, "Caution. We are clearly not alone - and likely being watched.."

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

For the Cimmerian, the disappearance of the bodies is disquieting, but not unexpected. He had foreseen it.

"I too wish to see what lies beyond the eastern bridge," he says to Dahinna, "but let us first determine at least which way the bodies were taken."

He examines the floor, looking for clues as to which direction they were dragged.

"I will gut anyone who opens a door or pulls back a curtain without all of us mustering beforehand."

[jemmus]

Torix also looks for signs of where the bodies went.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

Dahinna watches as her companions cross the bridge to where the dead laid in piles...only to find no bodies at all! Chills run all over her and the hair on the back of her neck and arms stand on end. And then she sees the gouges in the columns. Her mouth drops open a little lower and she cautiously walks over to one of the columns to get a closer look at the marks.
"Are these...what made these?" she whispers.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor

Stands ready to open the double doors.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri is also unsurprised by the removal of the bodies, though he wonders if it were the work of a few or of many.

He moves to the threshold of the great hall and peers in to see if he can make out anything at all.

[jemmus]

Torix stands, bow in hand, ready to go in the direction the group decides to take. He doesn't know much about this place yet, and he doesn't know what the group has already explored and seen. So he will express no opinion on its next action.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor draws his scimitar, the blade illuminating in his hand. He pats Gnasher who stakes territory by cocking a leg on one of the pillars.

He will venture forward, wary of spiders hiding in the ceiling rafters and Watchmen behind the pillars.

[Inferno]

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







Beneath the grand subterranean colonnade, where ferocious murder had rampaged just days ago, all is now eerily silent.

Amethu and Zahra stand guard as Dahinna marvels at fresh gouges that deface the soaring stone pillars.

Cruloc the Cimmerian snarls, "I will gut anyone who opens a door or pulls back a curtain without all of us mustering beforehand."

Grigor and Kiri carefully peer through the sundered northern doors and confirm the majestic rotunda is devoid of life.




The great basin set atop a low pillar of skulls has been toppled and shattered.




Grigor treads slowly upon the polished stone floor and the pale light of his curving blade pushes back the darkness, revealing that the black column of drapery has been rent asunder. Spilling out of its former boundaries lies a marble rubble.

The barbarians, Cruloc and Torix, see the blood that soaked the floor had dried before the countless corpses were removed. But from the marks scarring the dried pools, they can tell the dead were dragged southward, toward the rope bridge over the bottomless chasm.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas were visible this turn. 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, 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, 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
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)

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra frowns. Did they simply dump their dead into the abyss like so much garbage? Or is there something down there that needs fed? She examines the rubble from the shattered basin without touching anything.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu peers into the room to get a glimpse. He moves forward to examine the curtained area.

[Bluetongue]

Grigor peers through the curtain, checking such are not affected by mold spores and rot. If he can step through the rent he will or cut it further to allow passage into this evil unholy of unholies.

He prods the marble rubble with his sword, expecting it to be anything from 'marble rubble' to an animate statue or black pudding.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

Not comfortable being out in the open where attacks can come from multiple directions, Dahinna steps into the circular room, sees Grigor up ahead with Gnasher behind, and quickly (and hopefully quietly) moves up near them.

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri moves into the circular room with the others.

"Perhaps they were thrown into the abyss," he says. "They seem strangely casual about death. They certainly don't seem to fear it."

[jemmus]

Torix lights a torch and walks around the room clockwise, examining the walls for any hidden portals or anything of interest.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cruloc stands at the entrance to the circular chamber, facing the hallway. His barbarian senses probe the darkness to the west and the east.