die_kluge's story hour - The Lost Continent

[der_kluge]

The PCs descend the stairs, and emerge in an open room with 4 pillars surrounding a small reflecting pool to their right. In front of them, they can hear and see two mummies actively kneeling and praying at an altar on the other side of the room. Ivo and Mournax move forward and engage the two mummies. Rath and Bax move towards the reflecting pool to get a better look at it. It's sickly black "water" rippling and moves unnaturally about the surface. On the far right side, they observe a stone statue of a lizardman, poised in regal glory.

Bax unleashes an arrow into one of the mummies, and Rath follows suit with a Magic Missile spell. Ivo and Mournax both cleave into one of the mummies with their axes. Despite this, the mummies focus on the altar, and continue their chanting and prostrations. A tendril of the same ooze that made its way upstairs snakes out and coils around Bax's legs, knocking him to the ground. Dzintra, Nytor and Rath respond by attacking the ooze. Ivo and Mournax focus their attacks on the mummies, and make short work of them. In short order, the mummies are slain, the black ichor of the reflecting pool calms into an inky smooth surface.

Bax begins to examine the statue in the corner, while Dzintra moves in for a closer inspection of the altar. "The great inspirer, King Siluth", Bax says, reading from an inscription carved into the base of the statue. Meanwhile, Rath plunks a copper coin into the pool of ichor to gauge it's depth. "There's not much there, it's only maybe six inches deep or so.", he comments, postulating on the nature of the pool. Likewise, Dzintra, examining the altar exclaims, "this thing is made entirely of black onyx. But, I can't find any symbols, writings, or any identifiable marks on any of it. Strange." Bax casts detect magic, and determines that while the pool is magical, and radiates strong necromantic magic, nothing else in the room is arcane in origin.

The PCs spend some time in the room examining the strange features, and notice a stairway descending upwards this time on the other side of the room - in an alcove. Finding nothing of interest in the room, they agree to ascend the stairs.

 

[der_kluge]

The PCs move up the staircase into a small room. The only other thing in this small room is another set of stairs leading upwards again. So, they ascend the next step up.

Once up, they can see that this room, like the very first room has rows upon rows of skeleton bones. Cautiously they enter the room, and are relieved when none of the skeletons animate. Slowly they move about the room, when Ivo yells out "Ouch, it's cold!", and backs away abruptly. "What's wrong, Ivo", Dzintra asks from behind him. "Oy! I don't know, it's just cold where I was standing, like something was sucking the heat right out of me body!" At that same moment, Dzintra could feel an icy attack of her own, from a shimmering ghostly apparition that was now clawing at her. Reacting, the party attacks it. Shortly, another begins attack Rath, clawing wispfully at him with ethereal hands. Soon, both apparations are slain, and the party momentarily waits to see if any other surprises await them.
Ivo moves again, slowly. "That cold is still there. It's coming from that corner." Casting a light spell, Rath can see a large path of brown mold growing on a pile of bones. "Brown mold", he says. "What is it?", Dzintra asks. "Well", Rath replies, "it's a mold, and draws heat from nearby sources. We need just stay clear of it."
With the room better illuminated, the party can clearly see several small patches of the mold about the room, but they carefully carve a path through the room that keeps them away from its chilly reach. "I can move some of this stuff away with my gloves*", Rath says, using his gloves to magically move some of the bones out of harms way.
Shortly, the party finds the stairs - this time leading down. Moving near them, they are surprised to see that halfway up the stairs is water. "It's flooded!", Dzintra says, trying her best to peer into the water. Ivo pauses, "it seems to me that this is the water table." He dips his hand into the water and smells it. "Ocean water. This section of the dungeon must have gotten flooded." "What are we gonna do now", Bax asks. "Let me explore it", Rath says, "I can move through it easily with my magic, and I'll report back after I see where it goes."


* Rath has gloves with a continuous Mage Hand effect on them.

 

[der_kluge]

Casting Blink, Darkvision, and Fly on himself, Rath moves into the water. Maintaining an ethereal presence, he won't be discovered, and while in material form he'll be moving quick enough to avoid any trouble - or so he believes. Moving down the stairs, Rath sees through his darkvision that the room is full of more sarcophagi. Almost immediately, the stone lids begin moving off their resting places, as the mummies become aware of his presence. Breathing on the ethereal, Rath moves around the room to excite all the mummies, and then exits the chamber back upstairs. "We've got company coming", Rath shouts, as the first of the mummies begins climbing up the stairs.

 

[der_kluge]

Standing by the stairwell, the party waits. Ivo and Nytor take the top of the stairs, and Mournax stands next to the stairs, using height to his advantage to strike down at the mummies coming up the stairs. Dzintra and Bax take up the rear to provide support. Soon, Ivo realizes that these mummies are resistant to the fire in his axe, since they are so water-logged.
Without much difficulty, the party is able to vanquish all the mummies, leaving a fetid pile of corpses at the bottom of the stairs, which they have to push aside to get through.

Rath resumes his Blink spell, and continues back down into the darkness. He flies through and finds some stairs leading down on the opposite side of the mummy chamber. Flying downwards, he is blocked by a stone wall at the base of the stairs. Using his Blink to move through the wall, Rath is struck with the realization that the wall is an illusion. "Odd, why would an illusionary wall be down here?" Moving through the wall, Rath's eyes widen as he peers into the room - a huge library, quiet and peaceful with rows and rows of shelves filled with books - thick books, tall books, thin books, short books. Rath moves about the room carefully. Examining the spines of the books, then a thought occurs to him - "this room is smaller than the room upstairs, and I don't see any stairs leading out of here" Rath casts Detect Secret Doors and instantly it is revealed that there is a doorway *behind* the wall. Rath begins studying the wall more closely.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the party becomes concerned as they realize that Rath has been gone far too long. "We need to find him", Dzintra says. "I can cast water breathing on the party", Nytor suggest, "It will take me a few minutes to pray for that spell."

With the Water Breathing spell active, the party moves into the water to find Rath.

 

[der_kluge]

Casting Water breathing on the party, Nytor and the rest move into the cool sea water down the stairs, moving the pile of mummies that has accumulated at the bottom of their way. They move through the murkey mausoleum where all the sarcophagi rest, silently underwater. Scouring this room, they find no sign of Rath, and finally spot a stairway leading downwards.

Moving down again, they see a room filled with shelves of books. Nytor, Ivo, Mournax, Bax, and Dzintra move into the room, spreading out a bit to search for Rath.

Bax observes that the room is smaller than the others and begins intuitively searching for a secret wall or door.

Meanwhile, two large moray eels come, seemingly out of nowhere, and attack the rest of the party. They swim towards Nytor and Dzintra and attack them, biting at them with their sharp theet. Dzintra is wounded in this attack. Ivo and Mournax push some tables out of the way and begin cleaving into the eels with their large axes. The eels put up a good fight, and begin attacking Ivo and Mournax with a vengeance, delivering powerful bites. But soon, the party overwhelms the eels, and they are slain.

"Where is Bax?", Nytor asks, though his voice muddled by the water around him.
"Great! Rath is gone, and now Bax is missing!", Ivo exclaims.
Suddenly Mournax stops, and grabs at his head. "Something has tried to penetrate my mind!" Dzintra moves over to where Bax was last seen examining the walls. Suddenly, an enourmous fish, best described as a monstrous catfish emerges from behind an illusionary wall. It begins attacking Dzintra with a fervor. Ivo and Mournax react quickly and engage the beast, which in turn, responds with attacks of its silmy tentacles. The slimy cloud hanging around the beast confuses Dzintra, who shakes it off, and attacks the creature in turn. Though the battle fierce, and violent, the party slays the vile creature.

Moving behind the illusionary wall, the party finds Bax, and Rath, both lying unconscious. They scoop them up and head back towards the air.

Once the party emerges from the water, Dzintra begins hyperventilating. "I can't breathe!", she mutters, faintly. Nytor tells her, "go back into the water."
Back in the water, Dzintra is able to breath water. The rest emerge and examine the wounded. Nytor looks over Bax and Rath, and casts a healing spell on Bax, reviving him. "Rath is dead, I'm afraid. I believe he has drowned." "That is unfortunate", Ivo remarks, scratching at his arm. "What is wrong with you arm", Nytor asks. "I don't know. It's itchy, and the skin is falling off now that it's dry." Ivo responds, with a concerned look on his face. Mournax chimes in, "mine is as well. What did that beast do to us?" Bax rises from his wounds. "My arm! What is happening to my arm!?" he shouts, as he watches as his arm slowly turns to a slimy gel. "Back into the water!", Nytor shouts. Bax moves into the water, next to Dzintra who is still breathing underwater, complacently. Bax's arms cease being slimy, and return to normal in the cool water.

"Damnit!", Nytor exclaims, "this is awful. I need to consult my god to determine what is wrong. This is very troubling."

Nytor meditates on what to do while Ivo and Mournax begin cleaning the sea water off their armor and weapons.

Assessment:
Rath is dead. He drowned.
Bax was afflicted from the Aboleth, and his skin turns to slime out of the water.
Ivo and Mournax have Mummy Rot, actually afflicted from the Moray eels.
Dzintra inhaled some of the Aboleth's mucus, and it coats her lungs. She can not breath normal air.

"I don't have enough spells for all of this. I can raise Rath tomorrow, but I have more serious concerns at the present. I will heal Ivo and Mournax of their diseases, and Dzintra because eventually the water breathing will wear off, and she will die when that happens. I don't have another spell for Bax."

Nytor casts remove disease on Ivo, Dzintra, and Mournax. Bax remains in the water, coming up occasionally to converse. "I can remain in here for as long as the water breathing lasts, then what?" "I'm afraid I don't know. I'm out of spells", Nytor responds, perplexed.

Bax rummages through the pile of mummies, and emerges with the thigh bone. Examining it, he sees that it is hollow.

Bax remains at the stairs for the duration of the night patiently breathing through the a hollowed out femur of a lizardman mummy while Nytor regains his spells.

 

[der_kluge]

After resting, and regaining his spells, Nytor heals the party, removes the disease on Bax, who now thankfully emerges from his torturous experience. "This is gonna give me nightmares", he whines.

Nytor casts Raise Dead on Rath, reviving him. "Your time has not yet come, my friend", Nytor remarks.

Newly raised, Rath has lost the memory of his spells. "Thank you, Nytor. I suggest we all get some rest before we decide to venture further into this dungeon."

"I think you're crazy", Mournax says, "and this coming from the guy that died in here!" "Perhaps you are right, Mournax. Nonetheless, I feel like we should rest and evaluate our situation." "We can do that, but perhaps we should go back outside. This place is giving me the creeps.", Bax says.

Momving back the way they came, the party goes back down the stairwell, back through the chapel, back through the first mummy room, and back through the skeleton room (with the aid of a Hide from Undead spell), back through the pile of rocks that used to be stone golems, and back up the stairs, jumping over the gap in the stairs they encountered coming down. Only this time, the stairs do not continue - they are gone. "What the -", Rath exclaims, "where did the stairs go?" "they were here before", Dzintra responds. "I can get outside, but I need my spells. We'll have to rest inside." "Agreed", Nytor responds.

Moving back to the golem room, the party rests again. Upon waking, the party moves back up the stairs, and Rath casts Fly and Blink on himself. Moving up the stair-less hallway, Rath rounds the corner and sees that a large stone door now blocks the exit. Moving up to the door, he blinks through the door, only to be shunted out back to the hallway. Rath tries again, and this time, emerges on the other side.

Once outside, Rath pours water into the hole in the door, and the door submerges into the floor, and the stairwell raises upwards as the door goes down, and the party emerges outside once again.

All is quiet. And it is seemingly warmer now than it was before they entered the tomb. The leaves are green, and the sun pokes its rays through the tall branches of the forest around them. There is no one around. "Where the heck is everyone", Mournax asks. "Valgo!", Rath shouts, getting no response.

The party examines the surroundings. "It's as if no one was ever here", Dzintra observes. Nytor, moving to the place where the fallen sailors were bured makes a horrible observation. "Come here!", he shouts. Moving to Nytor, the party now sees what Nytor sees, a row of makeshift crosses that were made for the fallen sailors. These were just being dug when we went into that dungeon. "Guys", Bax says, look at these. There, amidst the rest were a group of crosses with some words etched into stones; words familiar to them - Bax, Nytor, Rath, Dzintra, Mournax, Ivo.

Now moss covered, it would seem as if the few days the party has spent inside the tomb has turned into several years. "Gauging by the moss on these stones, and the growth, we've been in that tomb for at least 5, 6, maybe 7 years", Dzintra says.

 

[der_kluge]

OOC: Well, that concluded game 3. I had to find a way to remove Valgo from the party since they were relying on him (i.e., me) far too much. I decided not to kill him, so I put a time displacement effect on the tomb. So, after waiting around for days and days, Valgo decided that the party had all died in the tomb, and not wanting to go in after them (if they died, he wouldn't stand a chance), he buried them in a mock ceremony, and left. At this point, they've no idea where he's gone, or even if he's still alive. Last action of the game was Nytor castings a divination "Is Valgo alive?" No response.

And Rath died, which annoyed the player quite a bit, I think, but he got over it. He actually drowned since he didn't have a water breathing spell up like the rest. And we still joke about Bax having to survive an entire night breathing through the femur bone laying on steps surrounded by dead mummies. Horrific. Fun game.

I'll put up Game #4 soon. We're in the middle of a month-long break (conflicts, conflicts, conflicts), so hopefully I'll get caught up before game #5.

 

[Rath Lorien]

Rath has registered and is setting his post-count to 1.

Yes, I admit that I was annoyed. Not feeling annoyed would perhaps indicate a lack of interest in this character - a trait I thankfully do not have.

But Die Kluge is right - I got over it. In fact, the death has figured significantly into the character development.

 

[der_kluge]

Hey Rath, glad you dropped in.

I'll have to be sure to watch what I say on these boards from now on now that one of my players is on here.

And, I guess I lied. I didn't get all the first 4 games posted before game 5 starts up (this Saturday), so after tomorrow night, I'll be two games behind, but I'll get caught up.

 

[der_kluge]

Game #4 (November 16th)

It did not take long for the reality of the situation to set in. Not only had a dragon destroyed their vessel, leaving them stranded on a strange continent, but now strange magic within the tomb of the lizardman king has propelled them into the future.

"Gauging by the growth of this moss", Dzintra speculates, "I'd say we're at least five to seven years into the future."
"Great", Rath exclaims sarcastically, kicking at a rock.
Mournax responds in turn, "This place is awful, and now Valgo believes that we're dead, and has left for god knows where. We don't even know if he's alive or not."
"Perhaps the Great Provider can shed some light on that question, Mournax", Nytor responds.

Nytor casts a Divination to determine if Valgo is alive*. "Yes", Nytor replies.


The party ruminates over what they should do. "We've got no where else to be", Rath explains, "we might as well finish ridding that dungeon of evil. I've sworn an oath to rid the land of evil if I am capable of doing so."
"You died in that dungeon, if you recall, Rath", Mournax responds.
"Yes, and I am truly sorry for that. I have learned a valuable lesson. I believe that if we stick together from here on out, we can accomplish great things."

Mournax ponders the situation, "When we descended the stairs into the dungeon, we could still see outside, at least until we turned a few corners. I do not recall the sun rising and setting over and over when we did that. Perhaps the magic of the tomb does not activate so long as the door is open."
"That is an interesting theory", Rath responds.
"I can Stone Shape the doorway to block the door from closing on us", Nytor suggests, "a few could go into the room to investigate, and the rest could remain outside."
"Right", Bax responds, "someone could wait outside for an hour, and then open the door back up. If the people inside felt that only a few seconds had passed, then we would know that it doesn't work.

With their theory in hand, Nytor Stone Shapes the doorway, producing two obtrusions to block the door once it is lowered into the floor. "That should hold it."
Rath, Dzintra and Mournax journey downwards to the golem room, where the stone golems were destroyed. The rest of the party remains outside. After moving down the stairs, Mournax's keen ears here the sounds of stone gears straining, and then a "crack!" as something breaks. "I think we broke the mechanism", Mournax says.

Waiting in the room for an hour, they emerge safely, and are confident that no more time passes on the outside so long as the door remains open. "It's safe for us to continue on", Rath says, "let's go!"



* I changed my mind from the end of game 3, and determined that he was, in fact, alive.