Mummy's Mask - Solo Campaign Record

[mikeawmids1]

Prologue

For the first time since the Plague of Madness reduced Wati to a haunted ruin, the gates of the half-dead city are to be unsealed. The current pharaoh of Osirion, Khemet III (the Ruby Prince) will open the necropolis to attract foreign adventurers (and all their lovely gold) to his arid, desert kingdom. It seems to have had the desired effect, hundreds of explorers, archeologists and straight-up grave robbers have descended upon Wati, eager to fill their pockets with ancient treasure. To intill some pretence of order to this chaos, the temple of Pharasma plan to hold a grand lottery and assign specific sites within the city for each group of adventurers to explore.

On his way to Wati, the young Varisian archeologist Alan Lehenard encounters a half-orc ruffian called Fal Bralti. Alan shares his provisions and explains to Fal what he is doing so far from home. Initially, Fal planned on murdering the milk-faced scholar and stealing his gear, but all his talk of ancient treasure in sealed tombs piques her interest. The next morning, she offers her services as guide and bodyguard. Alan eagerly accepts (not suspecting her true intent to betray him once the loot is in hand) and the two travel on together.

When Alan and Fal arrive in Wati, they find the city packed with other fortune seekers taking part in the lottery. A young ragamuffin called Moshe eyes up Alan's fine attire and fancies him for an easy mark. He dispatches his pet monkey (Hatu-khnum-amen, or just Hatu for short) to distract the archeologist, while Moshe steathily dips into his pocket. Unfortunately, Fal spots the little thief and grabs him by the wrist.

"You have to keep an eye out for little rats like this one here, Master Lehenard." she says, reaching for her knife, "The only sure way to stop their thieving fingers is to cut them off!"

Alan intervenes before Fal can mutilate the child. Instead of handing the young thief (and his monkey) over to the guards, he offers the lad a job as his valet. Moshe has no idea what that entails, but it pays better than begging and it's preferable to losing a finger. He accepts! Fal is not best pleased by this development and scowls angrily at her employer, wishing she'd just killed him when she'd had the chance.

Alan and his growing entourage join the long queue of people waiting to register for the grand lottery. Ahead of them is a masked elf in dusty robes, leaning heavily on a gnarled staff of sun-bleached bone. Alan and the elf get talking; his name is Corym Sarnorin and he is afflicted with a bad case of mummy rot. He hopes to find a cure within the necropolis, but the temple of Pharasma is only allowing groups of four to participate in the lottery. The math checks out, Alan and the elf team up to make up the numbers. Fal grows even more irritable as the number of throats she will have to cut before she can steal the treasure continues to increase.

The group register for the grand lottery and are advised to return in the morning, when the gates of the necropolis will be unsealed and they will be allocated their first location to explore.

- - -

Character stats for party at the start of the adventure are included blow, so readers can see how they advance over the course of the Adventure Path.

Alan Lehenard, human archeologist (Novice, 0xp)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 7 (2), Power n/a, Bennies 3/3, Wealth d6
Skills: Academics d8, Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6
Languages: Common, Ancient Osirion, two others
Race: Adaptability
Edges: Linguist
Hindrances: Driven (uncover secrets of the past), Loyal, Overconfident
Gear: Thick Leather Jacket/Leggings (AV2; torso, arms/legs), Flintlock Pistol (2d6+1, ROF1, 5/10/20, reload 3), Sword (Str+d6), Survival Kit

Fal Bralti, half-orc thug (Novice, 0xp)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigour d8
Pace 6, Parry 8 (2), Toughness 10 (2), Power n/a, Bennies 3/3, Wealth d6
Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Survival d4
Languages: Common & Orc
Race: Infravision, Outsider, Strong
Edges: Brawny, Brawler
Hindrances: Ruthless, Greedy
Gear: Warhammer (Str+d6, Ap1), Medium Shield (PR+2, CVR-2), Thick Leather Jacket/Leggings/Cap (AV2; torso, arms/legs & head), Survival Kit

Moshe, human urchin (Novice, 0xp)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigour d6
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5 (1), Power n/a, Bennies 5/5, Wealth d4
Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d4, Notice d4, Performance d4, Persuasion d6, Stealth d6, Survival d4, Taunt d6, Thievery d6
Languages: Common
Race: Adaptability
Edges: Beast Bond Beast Master (pet monkey Hatu-khnum-amen)
Hindrances: Curious, Poverty, Young & Small
Gear: Dagger (Str+d4), Sling (Str+d4, 4/8/16), Rags (cloth, AV1; torso & legs)

Corym Sarnorin, elf wizard (Novice, 0xp)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigour d4
Pace 6, Parry 5 (1), Toughness 5 (1), Power 15/15, Bennies 3/3, Wealth d6
Skills: Academics d6, Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d4, Notice d6, Occult d6, Persuasion d4, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6
Languages: Common & Elven
Race: Agile, All Thumbs, Low Light Vision
Edges: AB (Magic), Power Points I
Hindrances: Anemic, Arrogant, Ugly
Powers;
Arcane Protection: PP1, dim umber aura around target
Bolt: PP1, eldritch bolt of orange force
Entangle: PP2, summon sarcophagus to contain target
Gear: Staff (Str+d4, 2H, PR+1, reach +1), Robes (AV1; torso, arms/legs & head), Silver Mask, Spellbook, Survival Kit

 

[Marc_C]

Is this a solitary game, as in you play all four characters using oracle system? I'm guessing this is with Savage Worlds.

 

[shah_0]

This looks really interesting. I'm familiar with PF 1e and 2e...so I'm guessing this is Savage Worlds? I'm curious as to how this goes and how you converted the adventure path

 

[mikeawmids1]

Is this a solitary game, as in you play all four characters using oracle system? I'm guessing this is with Savage Worlds.

That's pretty much bang on. I'm using a Solo Game Guide for Savage Worlds that I purchased from Drivethru RPG: Solo Game Guide for Savage Worlds - Pinnacle Entertainment | SWAG | Solo Tools | DriveThruRPG.com

This looks really interesting. I'm familiar with PF 1e and 2e...so I'm guessing this is Savage Worlds? I'm curious as to how this goes and how you converted the adventure path

I love the setting stuff and adventure paths Paizo have released for PF (and PF2), but will never get to experience them as a player because most of my gaming friends have fully comitted to D&D5 and won't touch anything else with a 10ft pole, least of all PF content converted to SW.

I am pretty much converting the AP on the fly, as I work my way through it. No sense converting all six books only to TPK on the first boss.
I'll likely include any homebrew stat blocks for NPCs, monsters and magic items in future posts, speaking of which....

 

[mikeawmids1]

The Tomb of Akhentepi, Part One

The next day, an excited crowd gathers in the shadow of the Grand Mausoleum. The High Priestess of Pharasma, Sebti the Crocodile, addressses the mob. She outlines the rules of the lottery, and the consequences of violating them.

1: Only explore the location you are allocated in the lottery.

2: Respect and honour the dead.

3: Leave the necropolis by dusk, or be sealed inside with its undead denizens overnight.

The lottery will take place over the course of three days. When the gates of the necropolis close on the third day, they will not re-open until the Ruby Prince deigns it so. May the gods have mercy on anyone trapped inside, for the half dead city will surely become their tomb.

Two large, clay urns are placed on the stage; the first contains the names of all participating teams. Tokens drawn from the second urn determine which sites have been earmarked for sacrilege. One by one, the teams are called up to make their draw, until at last it is Alan's turn. Reaching into the second urn, Alan rummages around and produces a token stamped with one word; 'Akhentepi'. The clerics of Pharasma mark the location of the tomb on Alan's map and politely usher him from the stage.

Once each team has made their first draw, everyone gathers before the sturdy bronze gates of the necropolis. It takes the combined strength of a dozen burly acolytes to open the ancient portal. Beyond lies a wide, silent plaza piled high with wind-blown sand and overlooked by a tall obelisk of smooth black rock, referred to locally as Pharasma's Needle. Several teams dawdle in the shadow of the rock, consulting maps and bickering over the quickest route to their destination. Others melt away into the maze of crooked alleys that writhe through the dead city like veins in a slab of mouldy cheese.

Alan and company check their own map. The tomb of Akhentepi is on the other side of the necropolis, it will take the better part of an hour to get there on foot. Their route takes them passed an immense - and seemingly bottomless - pit in the centre of an open courtyard littered with bones. Corym speculates that the shaft may connect to the Darklands, a great network of tunnels and subterranean wonders deep beneath the surface of the planet. Alan makes a quick sketch in his journal and calls Moshe and Hatu away from the edge.

Soon thereafter, the party reach their destination; a squat stone mausoleum in the middle of an actual cemetery. Fal's kit contains a crowbar and the brawny half-orc soon has the stone doors ajar. The interior of the tomb is dark and cool, a welcome respite from the oppresive sun. Hieroglyphics carved along the walls record the achievements of General Akhntepi, a celebrated military commander who was long dead even before the Plague of Madness turned the streets of Wati into an abbatoir. A heavy stone disc bars the way forward, but tracks along the foor and ceiling suggest it is designed to roll aside. Fal spits on her calloused palms and grips the side of the disc. Alan rolls up his sleeves and steps forward to help.

"What are you doing?" Fal asks, surprised.

"Many hands make light work." Alan answers sagely. He eyes the heavy disc with trepidation. "Although this may prove to be an exception to that rule."

Together, they roll the heavy stone disc aside, clearing the way forward. Alan is delighted and claps Fal on the back, but she shrugs him off, gracious as a toad in a teapot. Beyond, a square shaft drops straight down into darkness. The party secure a rope and descend ino the hungry dark.

 

[mikeawmids1]

Tomb of Akhentepi, Part Two

Alan volunteers to go first and slips down the rope into the tomb proper, disturbing decades - if not even centuries - worth of cobwebs and dust. Formless vermin scuttle across the walls of the shaft, made strange and monstrous by the guttering torchlight.
Unfortunately, Alan runs out of rope before he runs out of pit.

"How much deeper can this blasted hole go?" Alan mutters, thinking back to what Corym had said about the Darklands.

Alan drops his torch into the musty void and exhales a long sigh of relief when it reveals the bottom lies scant few metres beneath his dangling feet.

The shaft terminates in a small, square chamber. A crumpled skeleton reclines casually against a pair of bronze doors, welcoming the explorer with its brittle, humourless grin. The rest of the party descend carefully and reconvene around the body of the doomed grave-robber.

"It would appear he fell and broke his legs." Corym says, gesturing to the skeleton's splintered limbs, "He must have starved to death down here."

"He's definitely not been eating enough." Alan quips.

Hatu climbs inside the dead guy's ribcage and rattles the bones theatrically, screeching with mock outrage. Moshe finds this hilarious.

Ignoring the monkey's macabre performance, Fal rifles through the corpse's gear and finds two unbroken flasks of alchemist's fire.

- - -

Alchemist's Fire (Athletics, range 4/8/16, all creatures within MBT must roll Agility-2 or catch fire, immediately suffering 2d6 damage (bypassing armour) and again at the beginning of every turn thereafter until an action is taken to douse the flames)

- - -

Fal straightens up and moves toward the bronze doors. Alan stops her.

"Wait, shouldn't we check for traps first?" he suggests, "The people who built these old tombs were devilishly cunning and likely installed all manner of horrible deathtraps."

"Be my guest." Fal says, stepping back again.

"Oh, well, of course I've never actually...." Alan stammers, "Not really my field, y'know... I've read about this sort of things, in books and scrolls, but I'm not sure I could actually.…"

He trails off weakly.

The party look at each other.

They look at the door.

They look back at each other.

"Someone is going to have to do it!" Comyr snaps.

"How about the monkey?" Fal suggests.

"How about no?" Moshe retorts.

"I'll do it." Alan sighs, "This is my expedition and a good leader leads from the front. How hard can it be. Maybe if I do this.…"

Alan fumbles with the door for a minute, ostensibly checking for traps. He doesn't find any, but that comes as no great surprise as he has no idea what he's even looking for. He offers the others a weak, unreassuring smile and opens the door.

Nothing happens.

Alan sighs with relief and steps into the next corridor. The walls are carved with images of a proud, regal warrior riding a chariot. Alan presumes this to be General Akhentepi and pauses to sketch in his journal. Comyr joins the explorer and notices a row of concealed holes running along the length of the passage. Growing bored, Moshe skips ahead to the next set of doors.

"Stop!" Comyr cries, but he is too late.

Moshe's bare feet land upon a hidden pressure plate, triggering a hail of darts from the concealed holes! Everyone except Moshe is hit by the trap! Alan and Fal are saved by their armour, but the darts tear through Comyr's robes and leave the wizard shaken.

"Foolish child!" Comyr snaps, rapping Moshe over the head with his staff, "Watch where you put your feet, filthy as they are! Your carelessness could cost us dearly!"

Moshe looks abashed and mutters an apology. Hatu screeches and makes a rude gesture at the wizard, who pretends not to notice. Moving even more carefully than before, the party advance deeper into Akhentepi's tomb.

 

[mikeawmids1]

Tomb of Akhentepi, Part Three

The doors open into a small foyer. There are exits to the north and south, and the western wall is mostly hidden by a large tapestry depicting the General and his family. The tapestry is flanked by a pair of dead cats, artfully mounted atop slender stone pedestals. Comyr peeks behind the tapestry, hoping to find a hidden door, but there is nothing. He spots Moshe reaching for one of the preserved cats and knocks his hand away, scowling beneath his silver mask.

The party head south, down a short flight of time-worn steps and into a room funished with a massive, wall-mounted mirror, flanked by statues of Pharasma and jackal-headed Anubis. Moshe is immediately captivated by the reflective surface, he cannot remember the last time he saw his own reflection. Staring into the shimmering glass, he sees his own grubby, snaggle-toothed face looking back - but he is not alone. Beside him stands a tall, bronze-skinned warrior in immaculate white robes. The warrior meets Moshe's gaze and frowns disapprovingly. Moshe feels a terrible, burning pain above his eyes and tears his gaze away from the mirror before the warrior's curse can take effect. Fal steps forward and swings her spiked warhammer at the tricksy glass, shattering it into a million glittering shards.

Doors in the eastern wall open into a preparatory chamber, where bodies were once embalmed atop a stone altar. Doors in the western wall lead down deeper into the tomb. The party head west, down a flight of broken steps, into a cavernous chamber supported by four pillars carved to resemble ancient Osirion warriors. Sections of the tomb look rough and unfinished.

Yet more stairs lead down to a large, octagonal burial chamber. This tomb is not at all wheelchair friendly! Atop a raised dais in the centre of the room stands a gold-trimmed sarcophagus. Fal is overcomed with greed, surely the great General Akhentepi was entombed with many valuables! She rushes forward, crowbar poised to pry off the golden lid.

"Stop!" Corym cries, grabbing her arm, "We should check for traps."

Fal glances down at the fingers gripping her sleeve, they are black with rot. She grunts and pulls away from the mummy-cursed wizard.

The party carefully examine the room, steering clear of the dais. They find two secret doors (in the east and west walls) and discover one of the torch holders functions as some kind of lever, pupose unknown. Alan pulls it; nothing happens. The first secret door reveals stairs descending even deeper into the tomb. The second secret door opens into a small closet, within which a dozen mummified corpses have been packed like sardines.

"These poor souls must have been the slaves tasked with building this tomb," Corym explains, "It was not uncommon for the workers to be killed when the tomb was complete, so they could not share their knowledge with those who might plunder its riches."

While the wizard is lecturing them, Fal's gaze is drawn back to the golden sarcophagus. She edges away from the group and up onto the dais. She is disappointed to discover the sarcophagus is a wooden replica decorated with gold paint. Fal curses and stomps back to join the rest of the party.

The party head down the secret staircase and find a room packed with grave goods, chests overflowing with silver and several other items of interest, including 2x vials of Silversheen (add Silver property to a weapon for the duration of one combat) and a masterwork longbow (+1 Shooting). Moshe has never seen so much money and the whole party increase their Wealth by one die type.

"Here, you should take this," Alan says, offering the bow to Fal, as she fills her pockets with stolen coin, "I dont think anyone else is strong enough to use it."

The half-orc glares at him suspiciously, then snatches the weapon from his hand. Alan waits patiently for any words of gratitude, but none are forthcoming. Fal goes back to scooping up great handfuls of silver.

"You're welcome." Alan says, turning away.

After stowing as much coin as they can realistically carry, the party make their way back to the entrance and leave the tomb of Akhentepi. It does not occur to them until much later that they never actually found the General's body. The sun is still high in the sky as they exit the necropolis.

"Finished already?" one of the acolytes asks in surprise, "You're the first group back!"

Alan flips the man a silver coin as he passes.

The party return to their rooms at the Tooth and Hookah to rest and prepare themslves for the second day of the grand lottery.

 

[mikeawmids1]

- - -

I'm using milestone advances, so the party will 'level up' after completing each of the three tombs in the first book. Alan took the Scholar Edge (Academics +2), Fal and Moshe both increased a core attribute and Corym increased two skills (Academics & Athletics) that were below their linked attribute.

- - -

Interlude at the Tooth and Hookah

That night, the inn is particularly rowdy as several different teams gather to boast of their exploits during the first day of the lottery. Corym shuns company and retires to his room, but the rest of the party find a table and join the revelry.

Corym's vacant chair is suddenly filled by a beautiful Taldan woman wrapped up in a lurid purple cloak, with a large, wide-brimmed hat perched upon her head. A holy symbol of Nethys, god of magic, hangs about her elegant throat.

"Well met," Alan says graciously, pouring her a drink, "I don't believe we've been introduced. My name is Alan Lehenard, these are my associates, Fal Bralti and Moshe... just Moshe, I think."

"I know who you are," the woman replies curtly, "And I know you were in the necropolis earlier today, participating in this ridiculous lottery. Tell me about the site you were allocated to explore. Was it a temple or shrine ornamented with the symbol of an unblinking eye?"

"I don't rightly recall." Alan says, "I'll think on that a moment, while you remember your manners."

The noblewoman seethes, pale cheeks reddening beneath the brim of her ludicrous hat. One hand closes around the holy symbol around her neck and she takes a deep breath to calm herself before answering.

"My apologies, I have had a somewhat difficult and disappointing day. My name is Velriana Hypaxes. I'm the leader of the Scorched Hand. My associates and I are all devout followers of the All-Seeing Eye. We believe there is a hidden shrine to our god somewhere within the city. We sought permission from the Grand Mausoleum to search for this site specifically when the necropolis was unsealed, but we were refused."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alan sympathises, "We were assigned the tomb of an Osirion General. We did not see any eyes, all-seeing or otherwise. Why do you want to find this temple so badly?"

"How disappointing." Velriana sniffs, ignoring his question, "Please tell me if you see or hear anything that might help us. We are staying upstairs. You would be handsomely rewarded for your trouble. Of course, it would be best if this agreement remained between the four of us; there's no sense getting those stuffy Pharasmans riled up over nothing."

Velriana rises from the table without another word, leaving her drink untouched. She rejoins the other members of the Scorched Hand in their private booth; two human men with the dark colouring of Garundi natives and a brawny half-elf with a long, plaited pontyail.

"She was pretty." Moshe says, mesmerised.

"Pretty stuck up her own arse." Fal grunts, downing Velriana's glass in one gulp.

"Let's keep our eyes and ears open," Alan suggests, "If they want to find this temple that badly, it must contain something very valuable indeed."

 

[mikeawmids1]

House of Pentheru, Part One

The next morning, the remaining teams gather outside the Grand Mausoleum to make their second draw from the lottery. When the Scorched Hand are called, Velriana Hypaxes takes to the stage, her refined features furrowed with disdain. Moshe practically begs Alan to let him go up when their party is called. Alan doesn't see any harm in it and agrees. Moshe whoops and punches the air. Hatu emulates the gesture perfectly.

Lehenard's Lions are called. Moshe makes the draw. Their token reads 'House of Pentheru'. The Pharasman clerics mark Alan's map and note that Pentheru was a wealthy merchant who died during the Plague of Madness. Fal rubs her hands together greedily. This second site is much closer to the gates than the tomb of Akhentepi had been, lying practically within the shadow of the wall. The gates of the necropolis are opened and the party head for the House of Pentheru.

The estate is surrounded by tall sandstone walls, but a pair of tarnished bronze gates present an easy way into the compound. As the party cross the threshold, they are all subjected to a terrifying vision of the past; a mob of deranged commoners throw themselves against the gates, howling with bloodlust! Alan is worst affected by the haunt and it takes a moment for him to recover his wits.

The party ignore the main entrance and turn left into a spacious yard adjacent to the property. Several outbuildings have been erected against the outer wall and between them stands the upper lip of a stone well. The party investigate the well and find the shaft is choked with sand. A low, menacing growl emanates from one of the outbuildings and a large, two headed hound steps out. It's coarse black fur is riddled with writhing worms. The death dog attacks to defend its lair!

Fal hurls a flask of alchemist's fire at the mangy beast. The death dog is engulfed in green fire! Alan draws his flintlock pistol and shoots the flaming hound in the flank. The beast is Shaken. Corym extends a rot-blackened paw and projects a bolt of arcane force, disintergrating the death dog, leaving naught but a pile of smoldering bones.

Ignoring the other outbuildings, the party head into the main house via a side door that opens into the kitchen. A skeleton lies on the floor, surrounded by broken crockery. A wooden door leads through to an adjacent pantry. Moshe and Hatu search the dusty shelves for anything that might still be edible after several hundred years. The giant camel spider clinging to the ceiling decides that Moshe looks edible and drops onto the boy's back. Moshe cries out in pain as the spider sinks its poisonous fangs into his neck!

(The giant spider got the Drop on Moshe and inflicted 17 damage, which equates to Shaken and three wounds. Moshe used up two Bennies, but was only able to soak one wound. Despite rolling Vigour -6 to resist poison, Moshe still managed to succeed!)

Alan draws his flintlock and aims at the spider, but Moshe is jerking around too much for him to get off a good shot without hitting the boy. Alan holds his action. Moshe spends another Benny to recover from the Shaken condition and tries to dislodge the spider from his back, but fails. Hatu shrieks and hops onto the spider's back, tearing savagely at the critter's carapace with his bare teeth! Legs thrashing, the spider releases Moshe and falls to the ground, dead. Hatu jumps back onto Moshe's shoulders and starts grooming himself. Alan slowly lowers his gun and gapes at the monkey with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. That is one badass homo sapien! There is no healer in the party, so Moshe will have to walk off his injuries.

- - -

Hatu (monkey sidekick)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigour d6
Pace 4, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d6, Notice d6
Abilities;
Bite (Str+d4)
Climber, climbing pace 8, +2 Athletics to climb or swing
Hurl Rock (Str+d4, 3/6/12)
Size -2