Chapter 1: A Shallow Grave of Sand

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, sorcerer sage

"Yes, the declination of the sweep of wing to the chest amulet inversely signifies the level of hells..." The arcanist mumbles under his breath as he translates the ancient glyphs. If only he had the resources to camp here for as long as it took to decipher this treasure trove of knowledge.

"Impressive synecdoche..." Reaching within his vermillion robe, woven by vestal virgins under a full moon and containing many pockets seen and unseen, the sage draws out a small hand journal of cut Stygian parchment, latch-locked, for recording observations, philosophies and revelations.

"Ah, deep syntagmatic relations..." From another pocket he retrieves a quill of the Kush peacock and his indelible ink of the salt-marsh octo-crab. Then the learned warrior-magus proceeds to copy a sampling of the hieroglyphics, particularly those symbols and pictographs for the pharaoh Xuthalhotep.

"Hmm, difficult paradigmatics..." Admiring the art, Biblo then tears out sheets of parchment and takes out a piece of azure chalk, made of ground pumice and taint-stone. With hard side sweeps of the chalk he makes stone rubbings of the more interesting scenes. These could be worth much to certain sages in Luxor and Sukhmet.

Biblo is oblivious to his comrades, perhaps until they leave.

[hedgeknight]

Goniza says to Roan, "Assuming you can follow these tracks, would we want to follow where they've gone ... or where they've been?"

Roan glances uneasily at the spellcaster and then mutters, "Where' they've gone...out of these damnable dunes!"

[ken-do-nim]

Goniza says to Roan, "Assuming you can follow these tracks, would we want to follow where they've gone ... or where they've been?"

Roan glances uneasily at the spellcaster and then mutters, "Where' they've gone...out of these damnable dunes!"

"I'm not sure I agree Roan. Those leaving this area may have done so with supplies, ready for the journey. We are precariously low, on the other hand. They may have a base of operations here, that would aid us greatly, which might be found by following where they've been."

[Zhym]

Arthfael peers over Biblo's shoulder at the glyphs. "Any of those words say where food is?" he asks.

[dmw71]

Loche watches Arthfael and Bilbo study the runes for a moment, but no longer. He looks east, across the ruins they're in to the opposite side from which they entered, looking for another obvious exit.

Not fully understanding the state of the ruins, would the red light from the large pyramid be visible to us three, or just those that went that direction?

"Cannae sloch wurds."

"A'm gonnae keep heading this wey, 'n' soucht an exit further in, 'n' if ah fin' yin, a'm gonnae tak' it," he says matter-of-factly. "Sin thae ain't gaun nowhere," he says, suggesting the runes that are holding Bilbo's attention, "ah suggest ye follow."

Searching for a reason to entice the relative strangers to accompany him, he draws up his sleeve to reveal a heavily tattooed arm. "Keek, ah git picters 'ere, tae. Ye kin study thae efter we've fun some fairn," he says, turning and heading east, taking his lantern with him.


If he finds an exit, he takes it. If not, he looks to see if he can create one. If the red light is visible, Loche will make sure the others notice it as well. "Ye see that?" Like a moth to a flame, the Pict begins to immediately head in its direction.

Translation:
"Can't eat words."
"I'm gonna keep heading this way, and look for an exit further in, and if I find one, I'm gonna take it."
"Since these ain't going nowhere, I suggest you follow."

"Look, I got pictures here, too.. you can study these after we find some food."

---

"You see that?"

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

"I am for following these prints to see where the might lead; however, I think we should meet back up with the others first. It is probably most prudent to stay together as one." Then seeing that the sun is on the rise, Garrin walks a few yards away, kneels in the sand, and offers prayer to Mitra.

[hedgeknight]

Roan ignores Goniza's words and Garrin's prayers as he continues to study the tracks. Suddenly, it all becomes clear to him. "The tracks...they lead into the ruins, not out of. Someone arrived here before us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda keeps her face close to the sand as she studies the prints.

I see at least 3 sets of footprints here. The giant might not see it, but whoever made these seem to be intentionally hiding their numbers by walking single file.

Why would they do that?

The tracks could be anywhere between a few hours and a few days old, but I doubt that they were here before that deadly dust storm.

The savage girl looks back in the direction of the others who went their own way. She wonders if they are dead yet.

[Grognardsw]

Arthfael peers over Biblo's shoulder at the glyphs. "Any of those words say where food is?" he asks.

"Food. Food? There is a feast here for the mind! Alas none for the body. See that section? It says this was once a lush land brimming with crops and game."

[Zhym]

Arthfael shrugs. "Can't eat what once was."

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Almost dawn. Full moon, warm, clear, dry





The first light of the red dawn touches only the zenith of the Great Pyramid, reflecting something there too small to discern.

Far below, Loche advances alone through the eerie ruins of the ancients, his lantern illuminating a path through the dark shadows beneath the towering gods and kings.





The starving Pict thief emerges unscathed into an open, sandy clearing (at 3). More stone leviathans, walls and monoliths rise from the sand ahead; a once-great city, cast in ruin, not unlike fabled Atlantis except swallowed by desert instead of oceans. Loche presses on toward the Great Pyramid.

In the deathly silent ruins near the Sphinx (at 1), Arthfael questions Biblo as the antiquarian transcribes by candlelight the hieroglyphs of the silent necropolis; ageless murals of phantom processions of priests with heads of bulls, crocodiles, falcons, cats and ibises marching forever through eternity.



Further east, (at 2) the other survivors of the sandstorm stop and consider the meaning of footprints they've discovered that Gronda and Roan say lead into the nameless city. Pious Garrin begins his morning prayers. Goniza considers following the footprints away from the lost city, back into the trackless wastes.



They weigh their options:

• • Follow the footprints into the unearthly ruins
    Backtrack on the footprints to see whence they came
    Continue toward the mysterious pyramids
    Wait here for the others to catch up to them, assuming they still live

Many suggestions are voiced but no consensus is formed, nor action taken, yet.


Actions?


Map:

The Lost City 2.jpg (412.43 KiB) Viewed 3133 times

The top of the map is South. Dotted line is your path coming from the NW. Movement rate on sand is halved.
1: Arthfael, Biblo
2: Garrin, Goniza, Gronda, Roan
3: Loche





Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 3/3 2nd lvl
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 1, HP 7/7, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 3, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Goniza Devin: Nemedian Atlantean Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: AC 2, HP 6/6, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 17/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 18/18
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 12/12

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[Zhym]

Arthfael realizes that he is alone with the scholar. "Come with me if you want to live," he says before taking off after the Pict.

[Mant72]

Garrin:

Concluding his morning orison, Garrin rises to brush the irksome sand from his knees. He clears his throat and announces, "I am still for following the prints into the ruins." He retrieves an oiled rag from his pack, proceeds to wipe down his blade, and turns a questioning eye toward Goniza, Gronda, and Roan. "What say you?"

[dmw71]

Loche continues to make his way towards the beaconing light; quickly glancing over his shoulder to see if Arthfael and Bilbo are following him, not that their actions would deter him from the plan he has set his mind to. The Pict will press on towards the Great Pyramid unless he runs into the earlier group that set out that way first.

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, antiquarian

Seeing himself alone snaps Biblo out of his antiquarian reverie. He blows out his candle and follows under the light of the full moon. Looking around he notices the red glow atop the pyramid.

[hedgeknight]

"Lead on," Roan says, glancing at his other companions before following Garrin. "There is nothing out here for us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda

Agreed! Let us continue on the strangely shaped structures.

She is happy to wait for the others first. Along the way, she continues to visually search the horizon and all around the structures for any sign of movement or life.

[Mant72]

Garrin:

"Very well. Then let us be off." The paladin sheaths his sword, returns his oiled rag to his pack, and begins trudging through the sands to follow the tracks that disappear into the ruined city.

[ken-do-nim]

"Lead on," Roan says, glancing at his other companions before following Garrin. "There is nothing out here for us."

"Agreed! I only suggested following where the prints came from had it been evident that they led from a structure. But since they go into the ruins, we have only to follow and hope we find friends. I don't think any of us are up for much of a fight right now."

[Inferno]

Thanks for the marching order. Noted.