Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
AGELESS Campaign Episode 2 - Temple of the Cat-Goddess
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 4889654" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-nine, “The Doorway", September 5th, 1882, 3:00 P.M.</strong></p><p></p><p>The crew of the Magnificence return, having taken the smaller vessel 'Ageless Journey' into the city on a supply run. Once the supplies are unloaded the crew of the 'Frolic' sail off west to the city, to enjoy a night on the town. While James is careful not to mention any of the AGELESS secrets within earshot the crews of the two ship, it becomes apparent that there are no secrets from the officers, as Captains Winslow and Wilkinson as well as James's cousin Paolo all join the digging crew downstairs in the tunnel. Digging resumes with the tunnel now 140 feet long and an estimated 80 feet below the hilltop. </p><p></p><p>A short while later, as the diggers are filling the final of the wheelbarrows, when a loud 'Thunk' is heard when Thomas's shovel strikes a vertical surface before them. The “Thunk!” resonates through the cave. "I think that is what we might be looking for! Lets see what we've got here." Nanuet says rushing over near Thomas to get a closer look at what made the "thunk". "Ho ho. What do we have here?" Lawrence drops his shovel and begins to clear dirt from the hard surface. "Shovels won't help now. We'll have to use our hands. Someone get James." </p><p></p><p>Captain Wilkinson heads upstairs to fetch James. The swarthy Portuguese wizard Paolo asks the others to step back, and the casts a spell. As people are watching, all of the dirt before them begins to turn to a brownish liquid and drip downward into a muddy heap on the ground. What is revealed is a stone wall with a set of stone double doors, each four-feet wide and eight feet tall. There are no hinges or keyholes on the door. To the left of the doorway mounted to the stone wall is a bronze plaque, eight inches square, with an octagonal indentation in the center.</p><p></p><p>George had spent the morning finishing getting the photography lab set up. He had everything put away and set up, ready for developing. He was making a list of photographs the corporation should have, people, the house, the ships. The commotion downstairs draws him out and he hears the muttering claims. On a hunch he grabs his camera and heads downstairs. </p><p></p><p>Ruby was in the lounge area when the Captain came up to fetch James. Being the curious sort, she overheard the commotion. "Have you found the doors??" She asked excitedly, jumping up from her chair. She went to tell George but he was already in motion gathering up his camera and equipment. They excitedly hurried down the tunnel to see what the fuss was about.</p><p></p><p>"Oh my," Ruby said as she checked over the door. "We're obviously not getting in by any normal means." She stood in front of the door and used a detect magic to determine where, if any, magic was concentrated. The entire door lights up as magical, as does the bronze plaque. "Whoa! There is a lot of magic here. Does anyone have any sort of key? Didn't someone find something that might fit here?" she exclaims as she points to the plaque. Alsoomse arrives and examines the doorway and plaque. She says, "Interesting but odd, there's no writing. I've never known of the Atlantians to create something without Altantian runes on it." </p><p></p><p>"May I?" Abigail asked and moved to the front. She had learned long ago not to just touch something like this, so she studied it with her eyes, racking her brain for anything familiar about it. Abby moves forward and examines the plaque. She casts a spell, a special variation of Detect Magic specifically made for ancient runes that she learned from a Romanian woman while on the Archeaological dig in England. "There is writing here, Alsoomse, it's magically hidden. Two lines of runes above, just here," she pointed above the octagon, "And another two just below. I only saw them very briefly." </p><p></p><p>Fish barks excitedly, "Alsoomse! My coin! You said that its runes meant 'door' in Atlantian!" He retrieves from his left sleeve the large gold eight-sided sovereign that he 'liberated' from Sir Guilleault's flat in New Orleans. Alsoomse examines both sides of the coin to determine which one has markings that that excactly match the indentations in the plaque. She then places the coin inside. The plaque begins to cast light, but not from either the coin or bronze rectangle, but instead from the magical script that Abigail had seen, which now glow a reddish-gold color that all can read. </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "The top lines are easy, they are in the more common Atlantean language. They read: The gateway to the world awaits those who are worthy to enter. The lower lines appear to be an incantation. That will take me a while longer as they are in a rare dialect of the language reserved only for the Emperor and senior Elders of Altantean Society. I'm guessing that we will not want to have me accidentally mispronounce any of the words. I'll go and get my textbooks and notes to work out the exact phrasing." James says, "Yes, best to exercise caution, we're too close to get this wrong now. I think I'll go wash up and change clothes while you complete your research." </p><p></p><p>Ruby hopped up and down in excitement a few times, squeezing George's hand as she did. "This is SO exciting! I'm DYING to know what it's like on the other side! James, is there anything we should do while we wait?" George squeezes Ruby's hand back and then lets go, "Ok, everybody back, I want to get a picture while the runes are glowing." as everyone backs away George gets a couple of plates exposed. </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse arrives carrying a number of textbooks and hand written notes. Some planks are placed across a wheelbarrow, making a temporary table for her. She spends the next half-hour cross-referencing the books and writing down various words on paper in both Atlantian script and English. Nanuet assists Alsoomse with the books, helping to carry those that she needs and sorting them and handing her the ones she needs as she asks while watching closely over her shoulder. </p><p></p><p>James returns, having cleaned up and changed into more formal clothes. "A bit overdressed aren't you?" Sol asks. He replies, "I don't know, you never know who you're going to meet." "Always the optimist," Roy interjects. Lawrence snorts, "Yeah, James learned that when he met the Brazilian ambassador. Answered the door without a shirt on. He turned red as a beet." James laughs, "Don't remind me! But at least in that case he was rather forgiving of my lack of attire, given that he desperately needed our help stop a war." </p><p></p><p>Lawrence allows, "There was that. Ah, those were the days." He adds wistfully. "When did we get old? This is the most excitement I've had in a while." James says, "What do you mean 'we'? I'm only one-hundred-and-two, still young enough for this adventuring life!" Lawrence says, "Then I just might have to take the anti-aging treatment. I can't wait to see what's behind this door." </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse holds up her hand and says, "Give me just a few more minutes, I almost have it. It appears to be a sung incantation, as there are hints to the musical inflections. I want to be able to get it exactly right." Fish looks at Alsoomse, and then glances at Ruby. "They both sing. Wow. Just wow!" he thinks to himself. "Can I help?" Ruby asks Alsoomse. Alsoomse nods yes. </p><p></p><p>George took the opportunity while Alsoomse translated to head back upstairs and store the plates he just took in the dark and grabbed his travel bag he had been packing. He brought his experimental camera that uses film. That would be a much lighter camera to bring. He grabbed his gun and other gear as well as a light weight tripod for the camera. </p><p></p><p>"I'll be right back, mes amis!" says Fish, as he heads upstairs to collect his gear. "I should do the same," Abby said quietly, but didn't move right away. She had put on her spectacles and was closely watching Alsoomse and trying not to disturb her at the same time. She finally did go upstairs and grab her tool-kit as well as her gun and spellpouch, then hurried back down. </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse says, "Okay I think I have it. Please pay attention to the words and notes Ruby, you may need to use this at some point in the future. The incantation is in the elite Altantian dialect and the best English translation that I can give is 'Help us now to enter the Doorway to the World, to share our culture for the betterment of all humanoid life'. </p><p>Ruby listened closely to the words and tone Alsoosme spoke; this was easy for her to pick up being naturally gifted in the musical arts. She looked on curiously to see if anything would happen.</p><p></p><p>Alsoomse sings, "Sat-is Key-leb tem Ad-lan-tis-ay, Kom-tbe pak Bash-e-be Kwet-ipe Tine-mosh-ep Dow-er". Nothing happens. She says, "Don't dispair, there was one word I was uncertain of, Key-leb means 'Doorway', Key-lob means the phrase 'Chamber beyond the Doorway', I'll try that variation." She then sings: "Sat-is Key-lob tem Ad-lan-tis-ay, Kom-tbe pak Bash-e-be Kwet-ipe Tine-mosh-ep Dow-er".</p><p></p><p>The metal plaque then begins to glow brightly, following by a faint glow from the doorway as the doors part in the center sliding into the walls on either side. Beyond the doors is a large darkened room. A light begins to glow in the room's center, soon illuminating the entire chamber. The room is octagonal in size, forty-feet from each wall to the opposite, and twenty-feet in height, made entirely of polished stone. </p><p></p><p>There is a stone doorway on each of the eight walls that appears to be identical in size to the one that just opened. To the left of each interior door is a bronze plaque with an octagonal 'keyhole' indentation identical in size to the one they used on the outside of this door. In the center of the room is an octagonal stone altar, three feet in diameter at its base and half that width at it's top four feet above the floor. The top of the alter has its own bronze octagonal plaque, with three octagonal indentations of different sizes, two larger than the indentations on the other doorways and one smaller. On the ceiling above the alter is a sealed octagonal stone door fifteen-feet in diameter and cut so that the stones are in eight equal-sized triangular pieces.</p><p></p><p>George headed back downstairs in time to see the door open up. As the room illuminates, George takes a picture. With a grin mirroring Ruby's, he takes her by the hand and heads into the chamber, keen to see what is on the altar. James, Mina and Alsoomse enter the octagonal chamber while Luiz continues to examine the plaque on the wall outside. James comments "We're no longer in Florida, I believe that this room itself is actually in another dimension." "Yes, you can feel the difference, can't you?" Abby said distractedly. She moved to the center of the room and began to examine the altar. </p><p></p><p>Nanuet hung back and watched the others carefully. They seem OK he thought to himself. Once Abby had entered he slowly moved forward, practically tiptoeing into the chamber. James looks at the altar and comments "Hmmm, it appears that this one may require three keys instead of one, none of which we happen to have." Abby says, "Mmmhmm. Any reason to think it's unsafe to cast a spell in this room? I'd like to go up and get a closer look at this ceiling." Alsoomse says, "I would imagine that this chamber would be receptive to spell casting." </p><p></p><p>Ruby says, "Oh. So we got in but we can't go anywhere. That's a bummer." She wandered around the chamber, she could feel the oldness of it in the air. George wanted to look at the altar so she went with him. Then she looked at the doors. "Oh wait, so maybe only the altar needs three keys but the doors need only one? That must be it! So I wonder where this one goes, maybe it goes to Atlantis!" </p><p></p><p>Alsoomse looks at the octagonal indentation on the door that Ruby is beside and says, "It does appear to be exactly the same size as the one in the plaque outside." Ruby says, "Well, let's put the key in the door and find out where it goes!" Luiz removes the key from the outside keyhole and enters the chamber. They look around at the other seven inside doorways, deciding which to place the key into when the doorway to Florida abruptly closes, sealing them all inside. </p><p></p><p>Lawrence had waited outside while the others entered. He chews some beef jerky as he watches them discuss the chamber's purpose. Then the door slams shut. He gets to his feet and calls out, "James, Alsoomse? Is every thing OK?" Those inside do not her Lawrence. Fish speaks up, "My friends, I'm not claustrophobic, but I've found myself on the wrong side of a locked chamber once or twice in my life. If this place is airtight, we have only a few minutes before we choke to death!"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 4889654, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter Thirty-nine, “The Doorway", September 5th, 1882, 3:00 P.M.[/B] The crew of the Magnificence return, having taken the smaller vessel 'Ageless Journey' into the city on a supply run. Once the supplies are unloaded the crew of the 'Frolic' sail off west to the city, to enjoy a night on the town. While James is careful not to mention any of the AGELESS secrets within earshot the crews of the two ship, it becomes apparent that there are no secrets from the officers, as Captains Winslow and Wilkinson as well as James's cousin Paolo all join the digging crew downstairs in the tunnel. Digging resumes with the tunnel now 140 feet long and an estimated 80 feet below the hilltop. A short while later, as the diggers are filling the final of the wheelbarrows, when a loud 'Thunk' is heard when Thomas's shovel strikes a vertical surface before them. The “Thunk!” resonates through the cave. "I think that is what we might be looking for! Lets see what we've got here." Nanuet says rushing over near Thomas to get a closer look at what made the "thunk". "Ho ho. What do we have here?" Lawrence drops his shovel and begins to clear dirt from the hard surface. "Shovels won't help now. We'll have to use our hands. Someone get James." Captain Wilkinson heads upstairs to fetch James. The swarthy Portuguese wizard Paolo asks the others to step back, and the casts a spell. As people are watching, all of the dirt before them begins to turn to a brownish liquid and drip downward into a muddy heap on the ground. What is revealed is a stone wall with a set of stone double doors, each four-feet wide and eight feet tall. There are no hinges or keyholes on the door. To the left of the doorway mounted to the stone wall is a bronze plaque, eight inches square, with an octagonal indentation in the center. George had spent the morning finishing getting the photography lab set up. He had everything put away and set up, ready for developing. He was making a list of photographs the corporation should have, people, the house, the ships. The commotion downstairs draws him out and he hears the muttering claims. On a hunch he grabs his camera and heads downstairs. Ruby was in the lounge area when the Captain came up to fetch James. Being the curious sort, she overheard the commotion. "Have you found the doors??" She asked excitedly, jumping up from her chair. She went to tell George but he was already in motion gathering up his camera and equipment. They excitedly hurried down the tunnel to see what the fuss was about. "Oh my," Ruby said as she checked over the door. "We're obviously not getting in by any normal means." She stood in front of the door and used a detect magic to determine where, if any, magic was concentrated. The entire door lights up as magical, as does the bronze plaque. "Whoa! There is a lot of magic here. Does anyone have any sort of key? Didn't someone find something that might fit here?" she exclaims as she points to the plaque. Alsoomse arrives and examines the doorway and plaque. She says, "Interesting but odd, there's no writing. I've never known of the Atlantians to create something without Altantian runes on it." "May I?" Abigail asked and moved to the front. She had learned long ago not to just touch something like this, so she studied it with her eyes, racking her brain for anything familiar about it. Abby moves forward and examines the plaque. She casts a spell, a special variation of Detect Magic specifically made for ancient runes that she learned from a Romanian woman while on the Archeaological dig in England. "There is writing here, Alsoomse, it's magically hidden. Two lines of runes above, just here," she pointed above the octagon, "And another two just below. I only saw them very briefly." Fish barks excitedly, "Alsoomse! My coin! You said that its runes meant 'door' in Atlantian!" He retrieves from his left sleeve the large gold eight-sided sovereign that he 'liberated' from Sir Guilleault's flat in New Orleans. Alsoomse examines both sides of the coin to determine which one has markings that that excactly match the indentations in the plaque. She then places the coin inside. The plaque begins to cast light, but not from either the coin or bronze rectangle, but instead from the magical script that Abigail had seen, which now glow a reddish-gold color that all can read. Alsoomse says, "The top lines are easy, they are in the more common Atlantean language. They read: The gateway to the world awaits those who are worthy to enter. The lower lines appear to be an incantation. That will take me a while longer as they are in a rare dialect of the language reserved only for the Emperor and senior Elders of Altantean Society. I'm guessing that we will not want to have me accidentally mispronounce any of the words. I'll go and get my textbooks and notes to work out the exact phrasing." James says, "Yes, best to exercise caution, we're too close to get this wrong now. I think I'll go wash up and change clothes while you complete your research." Ruby hopped up and down in excitement a few times, squeezing George's hand as she did. "This is SO exciting! I'm DYING to know what it's like on the other side! James, is there anything we should do while we wait?" George squeezes Ruby's hand back and then lets go, "Ok, everybody back, I want to get a picture while the runes are glowing." as everyone backs away George gets a couple of plates exposed. Alsoomse arrives carrying a number of textbooks and hand written notes. Some planks are placed across a wheelbarrow, making a temporary table for her. She spends the next half-hour cross-referencing the books and writing down various words on paper in both Atlantian script and English. Nanuet assists Alsoomse with the books, helping to carry those that she needs and sorting them and handing her the ones she needs as she asks while watching closely over her shoulder. James returns, having cleaned up and changed into more formal clothes. "A bit overdressed aren't you?" Sol asks. He replies, "I don't know, you never know who you're going to meet." "Always the optimist," Roy interjects. Lawrence snorts, "Yeah, James learned that when he met the Brazilian ambassador. Answered the door without a shirt on. He turned red as a beet." James laughs, "Don't remind me! But at least in that case he was rather forgiving of my lack of attire, given that he desperately needed our help stop a war." Lawrence allows, "There was that. Ah, those were the days." He adds wistfully. "When did we get old? This is the most excitement I've had in a while." James says, "What do you mean 'we'? I'm only one-hundred-and-two, still young enough for this adventuring life!" Lawrence says, "Then I just might have to take the anti-aging treatment. I can't wait to see what's behind this door." Alsoomse holds up her hand and says, "Give me just a few more minutes, I almost have it. It appears to be a sung incantation, as there are hints to the musical inflections. I want to be able to get it exactly right." Fish looks at Alsoomse, and then glances at Ruby. "They both sing. Wow. Just wow!" he thinks to himself. "Can I help?" Ruby asks Alsoomse. Alsoomse nods yes. George took the opportunity while Alsoomse translated to head back upstairs and store the plates he just took in the dark and grabbed his travel bag he had been packing. He brought his experimental camera that uses film. That would be a much lighter camera to bring. He grabbed his gun and other gear as well as a light weight tripod for the camera. "I'll be right back, mes amis!" says Fish, as he heads upstairs to collect his gear. "I should do the same," Abby said quietly, but didn't move right away. She had put on her spectacles and was closely watching Alsoomse and trying not to disturb her at the same time. She finally did go upstairs and grab her tool-kit as well as her gun and spellpouch, then hurried back down. Alsoomse says, "Okay I think I have it. Please pay attention to the words and notes Ruby, you may need to use this at some point in the future. The incantation is in the elite Altantian dialect and the best English translation that I can give is 'Help us now to enter the Doorway to the World, to share our culture for the betterment of all humanoid life'. Ruby listened closely to the words and tone Alsoosme spoke; this was easy for her to pick up being naturally gifted in the musical arts. She looked on curiously to see if anything would happen. Alsoomse sings, "Sat-is Key-leb tem Ad-lan-tis-ay, Kom-tbe pak Bash-e-be Kwet-ipe Tine-mosh-ep Dow-er". Nothing happens. She says, "Don't dispair, there was one word I was uncertain of, Key-leb means 'Doorway', Key-lob means the phrase 'Chamber beyond the Doorway', I'll try that variation." She then sings: "Sat-is Key-lob tem Ad-lan-tis-ay, Kom-tbe pak Bash-e-be Kwet-ipe Tine-mosh-ep Dow-er". The metal plaque then begins to glow brightly, following by a faint glow from the doorway as the doors part in the center sliding into the walls on either side. Beyond the doors is a large darkened room. A light begins to glow in the room's center, soon illuminating the entire chamber. The room is octagonal in size, forty-feet from each wall to the opposite, and twenty-feet in height, made entirely of polished stone. There is a stone doorway on each of the eight walls that appears to be identical in size to the one that just opened. To the left of each interior door is a bronze plaque with an octagonal 'keyhole' indentation identical in size to the one they used on the outside of this door. In the center of the room is an octagonal stone altar, three feet in diameter at its base and half that width at it's top four feet above the floor. The top of the alter has its own bronze octagonal plaque, with three octagonal indentations of different sizes, two larger than the indentations on the other doorways and one smaller. On the ceiling above the alter is a sealed octagonal stone door fifteen-feet in diameter and cut so that the stones are in eight equal-sized triangular pieces. George headed back downstairs in time to see the door open up. As the room illuminates, George takes a picture. With a grin mirroring Ruby's, he takes her by the hand and heads into the chamber, keen to see what is on the altar. James, Mina and Alsoomse enter the octagonal chamber while Luiz continues to examine the plaque on the wall outside. James comments "We're no longer in Florida, I believe that this room itself is actually in another dimension." "Yes, you can feel the difference, can't you?" Abby said distractedly. She moved to the center of the room and began to examine the altar. Nanuet hung back and watched the others carefully. They seem OK he thought to himself. Once Abby had entered he slowly moved forward, practically tiptoeing into the chamber. James looks at the altar and comments "Hmmm, it appears that this one may require three keys instead of one, none of which we happen to have." Abby says, "Mmmhmm. Any reason to think it's unsafe to cast a spell in this room? I'd like to go up and get a closer look at this ceiling." Alsoomse says, "I would imagine that this chamber would be receptive to spell casting." Ruby says, "Oh. So we got in but we can't go anywhere. That's a bummer." She wandered around the chamber, she could feel the oldness of it in the air. George wanted to look at the altar so she went with him. Then she looked at the doors. "Oh wait, so maybe only the altar needs three keys but the doors need only one? That must be it! So I wonder where this one goes, maybe it goes to Atlantis!" Alsoomse looks at the octagonal indentation on the door that Ruby is beside and says, "It does appear to be exactly the same size as the one in the plaque outside." Ruby says, "Well, let's put the key in the door and find out where it goes!" Luiz removes the key from the outside keyhole and enters the chamber. They look around at the other seven inside doorways, deciding which to place the key into when the doorway to Florida abruptly closes, sealing them all inside. Lawrence had waited outside while the others entered. He chews some beef jerky as he watches them discuss the chamber's purpose. Then the door slams shut. He gets to his feet and calls out, "James, Alsoomse? Is every thing OK?" Those inside do not her Lawrence. Fish speaks up, "My friends, I'm not claustrophobic, but I've found myself on the wrong side of a locked chamber once or twice in my life. If this place is airtight, we have only a few minutes before we choke to death!" [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
AGELESS Campaign Episode 2 - Temple of the Cat-Goddess
Top