Schedule: Alternate Saturdays.
PCs
1. Reymys (Tim) male Wood Elf Rogue 4 (Mastermind)
2. Mal Elkhorn (Geoff) male High Elf Fighter 4 (Arcane Archer)
3. Warden (Jack) male Firbolg Barbarian 4 (Totem)
4. Mist Under the Rising Moon (Keelia) female Tabaxi Druid 4, Circle of the Shepherd
5. Kassia (Judith) female Amazon Human Fighter-1/Warlock-3? (Fiend)
6. Rargna (Roxy) female Hill Dwarf Cleric 4 (Forge)
Fallen
Osrea (Roxy) Lvl 3 female Scourge Aasimar Paladin, Order of the Watchers
Collected Rumours...
"Some dodgy types came in recently with some trade goods. I overheard ‘em talking about “the Forum of Set, within the cliff, where I can trade this food for loot! I may even come away with some slaves!”"
The ancient Set cult in Arden Vul was centered around three rituals, or mysteries. The second mystery demonstrated Set's control over a magically-created sandstorm. Within the anonymity of the sandstorm, participants attacked each other with impunity; indeed, such chaos was celebrated!
"The king of the goblins, a certain Weston the Bold lost the magical scepter that guarantees his legitimacy. He’s offering a big reward to anyone who can find it. I heard that the scepter was taken in pawn by some creepy guy who runs the arena - might have tried to take it off him, but most of my group got killed by Beastmen. I decided to head out for safer climes."
"Savage brutes, Beastmen are! Gnolls crossed with goats, and Mitra knows what else! Their hunters are deadly swift archers. I'd say your best bet is get in fast amongst 'em. They fight fierce enough man to man, but at range they're even worse! "When you're rich, remember old Kytor, eh? Kytor the Red." He pats his bald head. "On account of my long red hair. Oh, and avoid the Tower of Madness at the base of the Falls. Anyone who sleeps there goes crazy. Even the beastmen avoid it."”
Warden has heard that Arden Vul attracts wizards and priests "like dung attracts flies". A crazed wizard named Khan apparently rules the second level from the top, with the aid of an army of ghouls. It's said he needs new souls to keep him alive; his ghouls do the procuring for him. "The worst part? He pretends to be helpful ... that's when the ghouls strike!"
"I heard that one of the Knights - Messoria by name - was slain by Beastmen on their first expedition into the ruins! Terrible brutes they are, with deadly swift bows! They say they're Gnolls crossed with Goats, and other things. Some call them Broo. They say the Old Empire bred them during the Gnoll Times, as creatures of war. Don't fall into their hands - ye're better off slitting your own throat!"
"I heard the Knights of the Green Lady fought with Dalton's Darlings in the ruined city - the Darlings got the worst of it, one of their Rogues was slain. But both groups retired to the Sign of the Broken Head to kiss and make up!
Yeah, so I heard this Dalton guy boasting how he sent a bunch of scrubs into this Basement, thinking they'd be finding loads of treasure! Nothing down there but trash mobs and some smelly old hermit, apparently." Another man nods sagely: "Yeah... do you think Her Ladyship is gonna want to talk to the hermit, though? Might be best keep it quiet..."
Locations in the Ruined City
4 Broken Tower (ground floor mostly intact) ~100’ west of the long house. Formerly the den of a cave bear. Ancient Altanian Ankh discovered in the rubble (Mist under the Rising Moon)
17 Ruined building with a basement that’s home to an absent-minded, smelly, but good-natured hermit. Find the teleport circle with compartments for six cubes – none of which are present. Locate the spiral staircase down into Arden Vul.
23 Mostly destroyed Tower – only about 10’ walls survive
25 Broken Bridge. The missing 15' of the span has been replaced by timber constructed with the aid of Kronos Kettle-Belly from the Sign of the Broken Head
37 Ruined Villa. Battered bronze scrollcase located in the rubble. (Three wizard spells sold to Clavinia; the fourth spell “Sun’s Gift” is currently held by Rargna.)
40 Lair of the Green Dragon Craastonistorex, currently our “landlord” whom we have contracted to pay 100sp and 6 rabbits/week. A Wyvern roosts on the roof, apparently there to guard the dragon. (We are taking turns to pay the silver part of the weekly “rent” – so far Warden, Kassia and Rargna have contributed.)
42 Headless Statue of Vul. Assume the stone head of Vul we saw in the dragon’s lair was once here.
43 The Long House. Rising Dawn's HQ with ongoing construction projects!
44 Mostly intact Tower. Inhabited (apparently) by a scholar and academic – supported by a group of oddly dressed and well equipped soldiers. Visitors are not welcome it would seem…
45 Ruined Gladiator School (we haven’t actually got there having been ambushed in the woods en route by a band of undead – ghouls and ghasts led by a more powerful ghast. The majority were turned by the Ankh, but we quickly killed the remaining three ghouls then we headed back to the Long House.)
When we did finally get there we discovered a probable ghoul cave below one building, a collapsed training area and a ruined building. Exploring the latter we encounter a number of very hungry, very tough giant lizards with poison bites. Throwing rations on the ground as a distraction we fled under Pass without Trace.
The Gladiator School
Into Arden Vul
25 A small room containing 2 skeletal baboons which are swiftly destroyed. The surviving cupboard contains a scroll – sanctuary. When later resting here, we encounter a dragonfly automaton but after closing the door against it, it leaves.
26 At the base of the spiral stairway from AV17, an “unremarkable foyer”, walls painted with frescos of ibis, Thoth and baboons. One wall is illusory revealing 3 doors (to 25, corridor to 29, and corridor to 28)
28 A room behind a brick wall (now with a big hole in it) that contained 2 zombies. We find a large Jasper (125gp), a Blue Glass Cube (the correct size for a compartment of the Teleport Ring) and rotten clothing (too fragile to wear but the design could be copied if we needed a disguise.) Corridor leads to 30.
29 Empty room apart from impressive gilt-wood desk and chair which, according to footprints on the floor, have been universally bypassed. We follow suit and exit through the opposite door.
30 Small room with 4 doors
34 Brightly lit room (light originates from the centre of the room). On the walls 16 images of Thoth all stare at the centre point of the room. Impressive bronze double doors carved with images of Thoth, ibis and baboons in the north wall, large keyhole (needs key ~8’’ long) Tracks of a single Halfling cross the room in both directions from the exit to the south. Room identified as location of the religious ritual “Scrutiny of Thoth”. Standing in the centre of the room Mist communes with Thoth who warns her about the Dust Monster to the north, and bids her beware the self-serving priests of Set.
35 Room with aqua-green painted plastered walls, the dust on the floor appears thick and undisturbed. Large bronze double doors (see 34) in centre of the south wall, exit corridor to the SE. Corpse lies before the doors; halberd propped up in the NE corner. On entering the room we awaken a Dust Monster which attacks by suffocation. Very difficult to hit, so we withdraw.
Rey & Kassia at the Broken Head Inn, ca 26/10/4452.
Chatting with a friendly group of six adventurers called the Five Fingers of Destiny, led by the flamboyant Roger the Rapier, a mage. Roger is short and stout, with a wide grin, good teeth, and a strong scent of pomade. He affects loose and colorful robes and a turban. Although he appears slightly goofy, he is clearly quite clever. He chats with Reymys.
Roger: "The original builders of Arden Vul are some toad-like race they call 'hoppers'. Their lair is an evil, pitted ziggurat that lies at the foot of the Great Chasm. The hopper can hop something like 50' before spearing their prey with wicked, barbed, tridents. You can always tell the hopper areas from the toxic oil they spread on the walls!"
Hixonius of the Glebe, male human Fighter, takes a liking to Kassia. Barrelchested and square-jawed, with a shoulder-length ‘prince valiant’-style haircut, Hixonius looks like a rube fresh off the farm. Despite speaking Nerathi with a thick accent, he seems quite intelligent. "You gotta know when to run, right? Just when you’re feeling confident you might locate a tomb, only to find it guarded by some killer mummy. We were strutting through the Thothian areas like bosses until we found this sweet little tomb just off the Great Hall … it all went south from there!"
The other four party members are: Lucrotus, male human Nerathi fighter, large, muscular, and dim-witted. Jenks, male halfling thief, short, stout, and affable. He loves mead and toasted cheese. Tressa of Narsileon, female human cleric of Mitra. She is thin and severe-looking, with raven hair tied into three long tails. Adelrod the Grey, male human mage. Adelrod is very tall and gangly (6’5”), with cropped blond hair and a tattoo of a skull over one eye.
35 Update: Kassia Mage Hands the halberd through one of the arrow slots in 34. The halberd is called Set's Bane (+2, bonus damage vs. followers of Set.) Warden takes custody of it and hands the longsword Mage Bane to Mal.
18 Room with 4 15' high pillars carved in the images of gods: NE Osiris, NW Wadjet, SW Ma'at, SE Thoth. Wall paintings contain images of the judgement of the dead. Bright light from archway to the N; grand archway to the W; plain tunnel to the S. (With the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, should have realised in Egyptian mythology the W was viewed as the kingdom of the dead as the sun sets in the W...)
Encounter group of 6 halflings who say we owe a toll to continue exploring. We demur - fight ensues. All halflings are killed but they retreat far enough S (to room 30 - large room filled with debris) close enough to their allies and the alarm is raised.
19 Brightly lit room, dais of white marble surmounted by a 5' high onyx table, brightly painting frescos depicting goddess Ma'at and worshippers holding ostrich feathers against the undead. White ostrich feather suspended in the air above the table. The feathers offer ability to turn undead - but only in the Precincts of Thoth.
20 Through grand W archway to alcove behind line of 4 pillars. Locate corpse carrying 16gp, 34sp, 44cp, Potions: Invisibility, Diminution.
21 Room with 3 iron portcullises. Wall paintings depict Thoth talking to Isis about resurrection of the dead. Centre of the room: dais with 3 levers - each lever raises/lowers a portcullis (mechanism is fragile). W and N lead to catacombs; S leads to ascending stairs.
22 Extensive catacombs that spawn undead the longer they are explored. Also lair of a gelatinous cube (now destroyed) 43gp, garnet 90gp, emerald 230gp, Wand of Polymorph. 22A - very well concealed secret door leading to stairs descending a long way (Sub-Level 12!!!). Encounter a wraith on the stairs which is turned, enabling us to retreat.
(I missed the first bit of this due to lurgy...)
35 Another update: Dusty the Dust Monster polymorphed into a rat, then trapped in a sealed box crafted by Rargna for the purpose. We leave the box in the desk drawer in 29.
4 Room with 3 sarcophagi open to the chasm on its NE side. Part of the lair of the same halflings encountered earlier. A wooden log "Woody" bridges the chasm to 40.
40 Open to the chasm on its W side. 3 concealed doors, 2 regular doors. Large statue toward NE of the room.
42 3 Sarcophagi. 3 "x" signs marked in the floor. Trap bypassed by Rey, sarcophagi looted: 3 jade jewellery items: 300gp, 280gp, 430gp, 3 garnets @125gp.
43 3 Sarcophagi. Floor of the room is covered with small holes. Couple of corpses on the floor (Shield +1, Scroll: Magic Mouth, 27 large Nerathi silver coins (incl. cursed coin). Woody used to bypass floor trap (darts shooting from the holes in the floor) and sarcophagi looted - 3 jade jewellery items: 320gp, 200gp, 250gp.
44 Baboon fountain radiating mixture of strong magic. Rey tastes it as develops True Seeing (1hr)
45 "Hall of Mysteries" Large room, entrance on a balustraded balcony overlooking hall: 6 statues at the sides (Sekhmet, Set, Anubis, Osiris, Horus, Isis) with large Thoth statue at the far end that is missing an eye. (Remaining eye 2' diameter painted silver). Rey senses lots of magical power here. . The hall lies 15’ below and is accessible via a set of stone stairs. Along the eastern and western sides of the chamber are giant 15’-tall statues of the old deities; lion-headed Sekhmet, Set (in Set-Animal form), and jackal-headed Anubis line the east wall, while Osiris, Horus and Isis stand along the west wall. These statues stand in classic pose - left foot advancing, hands by their sides, and with traditional symbolic headdresses. On the north wall is a larger (25’-tall) statue of Thoth in his ibis-headed form.
51 20' high ledge overlooking large irregular room, floor scattered with debris. 10' sq strangely textured monolith in centre of the room - carvings on it look greasy but True Sight confirms not actually greasy. Generally sinister aura - feels evil... This large cave contains a 10’-square monolith which rises 150’ An aura of evil hangs over the cavern like a damp and will be manifested by a sense of prickling skin and of looming, unseen menace. The monolith is carved of the native granite of the cavern, but with some strange textural features. The floor of the cave is littered with a scattering of bones, mostly human, but some humanoid and monstrous.
40 Dense spiderwebs to the NW behind
which is a Concealed Door. (Spiders
deceased, bodies in webs looted – 110gp, White opal 200gp, Potion – Frost Cage,
Scroll – Sleep, Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement). Statue of a baboon with movable arms – each arm
can be placed on the statue’s knees, raised to 45* or covering its eyes. We start manipulating the arms…
R Arm on knee L Arm on knee Nothing
R Arm raised L Arm on knee Concealed door to the N opens
R Arm on knee L Arm raised Grinding sound in the distance to the SW
R Arm on knee L Arm over eyes Darkness
R Arm over eyes L Arm over eyes Door to the N (Room 41) opens
R Arm over eyes L Arm on knee Door to the N (Room 41) closes
R Arm over eyes L Arm raised Door in E wall opens
R Arm raised L Arm raised Concealed door to the E opens
R Arm raised L Arm over eyes Concealed door to the SE opens
Behind each of the concealed doors appear Ibis-headed guardians of Thoth whose screech can disorient a listener. Each concealed door bear a different motif: N Door – crescent moon and ibis; E Door – Baboon clubbing a crocodile; SE Door – Single blue eye.
Skeletal corpse behind the statue – 26pp, Spellbook – Cleophalus’ Look Away Spell, Comprehend Languages, Floating Disc, Jump, Read Magic, Shield.)
41 Room with 3 sarcophagi. Small (6’’ across) and very well concealed pressure plate set in the floor next to first sarcophagus. In the ceiling, 3 small holes, each 3’’x3’’ containing some kind of mechanism. Pushing the pressure plate causes shutters to close off each hole. Sarcophagi looted: 3 Jade headdresses @1800gp, 1400gp, 3000gp; and 3 Black Pearls @325gp.
36A Beyond the door concealed by spider webs. Short tunnel ending in room with 7’ wide shaft leading downwards. Graffiti: “Danger, do not pass” and “Return with the fruits of Lord Priscus’ wisdom before future exploration.”
