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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1358332" data-attributes="member: 1210">Into the Aquan PyramidNote for the curious: We played this game session on Nov. 21, 1993.  The game ran from 11/16/95 O.L.G. to 11/20/95 O.L.G., some of which was covered in the last update.The Aquan Pyramid thrust from the sea, coming to a point some 180’ above the waterline.  The north face bore eroded glyphs whose meaning was lost on our heroes.  “Let’s go,” said Malford.They found an entrance about 130’ up.  The pyramid was wet and covered in barnacles and sea growths; it wasn’t an easy climb, but it was far from impossible.  The entrance was a four foot diameter circular hall, requiring our heroes to crouch as they moved in to a chamber no larger than 10’x15’.  Here the ceiling rose to a comfortable level.  Water was everywhere; a starfish was on the floor, and wet gravel and a couple of dead fish as well.  The walls had faded murals painted in them, obscured by time but apparently showing some sort of magnificent castle.  Two doors led out.Our heroes began exploring by opening the south door.There were a lot of shellfish attached to the floors and walls; water was everywhere, and it seemed that silt and sand had managed to intrude a surprising distance into the place.  A large throne was along the far wall.  As our heroes fiddled with things, Chanti uncovered a hidden switch built into one of the throne’s armrests, and the wall behind it swung away, revealing a secret passage.  Cautiously, the party moved down the revealed hallway.  At the end of it- Four gargoyles sprang at the party.  None of whom, as of yet, had magic weapons.*The battle was vicious- though the party’s weapons bounced off, a combination of Bleak’s cause wounds spells (via Galliger), Malford and Urick’s mage spells, Lyr’s magic stone and Rajah’s tremendous roar, which stuns the gargoyles for an instant, finally managed to carry the day.  Our heroes were battered and bruised but eager to continue on.  A search after the battle turned up a fair amount of coin and a gem, as well as a longsword.“It’s magic,” Malford told them after a moment.  “Good!” Chanti grinned.  “I need a magic sword!”Haart tried to protest but only gurgled.  Everyone ignored him, except Dexter, who gulped as he tried not to vomit at the hideously maimed gnome’s visage.  Chanticleer took the sword.They looked around for another exit.  At first they didn’t see one; then, after a search for secret doors, they found another hidden passage.  This one led to a room holding a staircase leading down.Dexter hesitated.  “If we go far enough down...”  Captain Malford nodded.  “We might hit water.”The group silently contemplated this idea for a moment, then began their descent.  Upon reaching the stairs’ termination about 20’ down in the next level, they found themselves in a grey-white chamber, glistening with moisture.  The ceiling rose to a high peak 20’ above them.  The walls were covered in the muck of the sea, green and slimy.  Other than the steps they’d come down, there was nothing in the room- no furnishings, no ornamentation, no exits.“Secret doors?” Lyr said.The party searched around and, sure enough, after clearing some of the muck away they found a cleverly hidden secret door in the room’s southwest corner.  Haart made a choked gurgling sound, but nobody could tell what he meant.  The group of adventurers popped open the secret door and found themselves looking into a corridor running to the east and west; almost immediately to the right of the secret door the hall turned right and headed out of sight around the corner.  Our heroes stepped through into the corridor.  Looked both ways.  Went left.  As they moved warily forward, Malford was examining the walls and floor for traps and the others searched as well- and, 10’ from a northward turn in the passage, our heroes found another secret door.  “Good thing we were searching,” Rajah commented.The party opened this secret door and found themselves looking into another chamber with sea silt and similar things in it.  Scuttling towards them came a coral-colored arachnid, either crab or spider; but a single blow from Chanti with her new sword skewers it.  “I wonder if we can eat it,” Lyr says hungrily.  Chanti puts her boot on the thing and pulls her blade from it.“Stairs,” Malford pronounces, gesturing grandly at the spiral stairs before them.  There are also two doors.  After a momentary debate, they elect to start on the left and work their way over- a tendency that the players will continue for many characters.  The door is locked, but Malford is able to persuade it and it opens to a relatively clean chamber.  Four figures stand stationary for an instant after the door opens, held is stasis, but then they’re moving!  Opening the door has awakened them!And the battle is joined, as four elite guardians begin their battle against the intruders.*Remember, back in 2e they required a +1 or better weapon to hit.  There was none of this ‘power through the damage reduction’ stuff- you just couldn’t. hurt them with nonmagical weapons, period.Next Time: Our heroes, who are a party of eight 1st-4th level pcs, fight a deadly quartet of  7th-8th level bad guys!!</blockquote>

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