As if driven by some unseen power, the party forms up and marches off like a parade of mindless automatons through the halls of the pyramid. Down the ramp they go and through the winding passages...past the boulder which is still where Humphrey shoved it...to the shaft leading down to the last level that they have been on.
Soon, they stand in the large bedchamber with the hooded white robe, where Gamvik was possessed. To the north is a secret door leading into a room wherein resides a large, padlocked - and as yet unopened - chest. To the south through another door is a kitchen/dining room area where you killed two large snakes yesterday.
As previously described, this room measures 20' square. A large, padlocked chest sits near the north wall of the room. Behind the chest is a huge tapestry of a desert scene.
"Hey Gamvik if you feel up to it, maybe you might take a look at that chest over there?"
Britan motions with his hand.
"Maybe you could open it?"
"Baaaaa!" says Gamvik, as he gets to work trying to pick the padlock on the chest.
Suddenly the tapestry shakes and shudders, and then drops on Gamvik! Clearly it is not a tapestry at all, but rather some sort of creature, as it begins to pound the gnome with three pseudopods for 8 hit points of damage.
Aldarin immediately points toward the creature, snapping off a quick word of magic, twice in a row, very quickly, and fires several bolts of energy into one of the pseudopods so as to hopefully not harm Gamvik.
Six magic missiles pour into the creature, hurting it somewhat.
When Aldarin finishes fireing his two spells Britan runs over and grabs the creature and pulls it off of Gamvik.
The gnome scampers away, as the thing turns on Britan, and slaps him for 6 hit points. The cavalier tries to throw it away, but it wraps itself around him and hangs on.
Humphrey strides over but hesitates, being wary about plunging his swords into Britan.
Tassier casts a magic missile at the creature, and it suffers more damage. However, there is still plenty of life in it yet.
Not sure of what to do next...Raz stays out of the range of the creature and waits to see how the fighters fare.
"Blast it with what ever you guys have! I will be able to with stand it," Britan says as he tries to use his sword on the creature, and braces for the magical onslaught from the spell hurlers...
Aldarin yells, "I've got a lightning bolt I can hit it with if you can get loose for a moment."
Aldarin will then wait for an opportune moment to cast it, being sure to maneuver into a spot where there will be no chance of ricochet.
"Just shoot the damn thing NOW!!"
Britan is still either tring to kill it with his sword or get it off himself.
However, because the thing is all over him, he fumbles with his weapon and misses.
Raz launches a magic missle spell at the strange creature and then steps back to see the results.
Farad sends a round of magical missiles at the thing too and waits to see how much life may be left in it before approaching with his sword.
The two spells are enough to do in the strange creature. It drops off of Britan to the floor, a smouldering heap.
Raz only cast one spell, and Aldarin's lightning bolt was not needed.
With that little technicality out of the way, Gamvik rushes back and picks open the lock on the chest.
Inside the chest, you find 3000ep, 5000gp, a potion, a suit of gleaming chainmail (human-sized) and a glowing dagger.
Gathering the goodies, you head south into the kitchen/dining area, where you killed the pythons yesterday. You look east down the passage that leads out of there. It runs for 20', turning south after 10'.
You go and take a look.
Before you is a larder (20' X 30': 10' west, 30' south). It is totally bare.
Next, you head south and into the living room where you battled the animated iron statues, there is nothing else in here, so you continue east to the room where you encountered the gargoyles. Opening the door in the north wall of this large room, you head up to the 4-way intersection with the pit trap.
At the intersection, you look each way. To the east, the passage runs for 60' and on. You have been that way yeaterday, but you know that there are areas up there that have yet to be explored.
To the north, this passage runs for 50' and ends at a door.
To the west, the last route runs for 50', turning north after 40'.
At the corner, Aldarin says, "If no one objects I'll try out the chain mail. Can anyone determine if it is magical or not?"
You can hear Britan mumble with disgust. "Chainmail."
Aldarin takes a few minutes to shed his chain mail and stow it away and then puts on the new chain mail.
While he can wear it, it is obviously designed for a larger physique than he has. It is too large across the shoulders and too short in the torso. He doubts that it would give him proper protection across the belly button, and may interfere with his swordplay as well.
In that case he decides to stick to his own.
Raz is unsure as to what direction to go and so waits for someone else to make the decision for him.
That is what everyone else does, too, until Farad leads the way across the pit and heads north. The rest of you follow.
Reaching the door, Gamvik puts his ear to it and listens.
After a moment, he reports that he hears two low voices. They sound to be male and female, but he cannot determine what is being said.
Illyana asks, "Anyone have any spells? If not, then let's be nice for once, okay?"
Raz says, "That's fine with me, but just to let you know, I currently have most of my spells memorized and am ready to use them."
Aldarin adds, "I still have most of my full complement of spells."
"We might want to be careful and not interrupt anyone doing things behind closed doors. I know I would be a little upset if a group of people broke in. Then again I don't think I would be doing it in a place like this," Kelar says with a smirk. "Then again we havn't been in a town for quite some time and if the oportunity arose I might have to consider it."
He draws swords and stands ready for whatever.
Britan draws his sword but keeps it in a non-threating position, " If we are going to open the door then let's not barge in like we are on a vendetta and provoke a fight, But if they initiate it well then..."
You open the door.
Before you stretches an enormous chamber...so large that you cannot judge its full extent (right wall runs east for 60' and on; left wall runs north for 60' and on). It is obviously a place of worship, though. In the 50' - 60' section of the west wall you can see a fountain. A large raised dias fills this end of the room (the floor of the southern-most 30' of this chamber is raised some 5' above the level of the northern section). On the dias near a stone altar lie three large statues that look like the ones atop the pyramid. The statues have been toppled from their bases.
A man and a woman stand near the toppled statues. They had been talking to each other; now they are staring at you. They both wear brightly coloured clothing and wear small bronze fox masks. Both have red hair, and there seems to be a family resemblance between them.
Upon seeing the sight of such a heavily arrayed party, however, they turn and flee north.
Illyana watches the two masked people flee out of sight.
"I guess we could have come in one at a time. Oh well."
The sound of a distant slamming door announces that they have left the chamber.
You move in and explore the place.
In total, it measures 100' X 180'. There are doors at either end of the south wall. There are doors at the north ends of the east and west walls, too. In the middle of the north wall, a 20' wide passage runs north. The southernmost 30' of the temple is raised some 5' above the rest of the place. To the north of this dias, on each side of a broad centre aisle are rows of uncomfortable-looking high backed wooden benches. Narrow aisles along the walls run past ornate mosaics to two fountains set into the walls.
Searching the place, though, you find nothing of further interest or value. The water in the fountains is cold and pure.
Looking north up the passage, you see that it stretches for 60' and on into darkness.
"Oooh," says Illyana, looking around. "Do we care about a direction?"
Illyana flips a coin and picks one of the two south doors.
"I want to save the back north door for last."
She pauses.
"Unless someone comes charging out of it."
Ayazin says, "This must have once been a lovely place before the Zargonites destroyed it. A pity. But the animal-masked ones do not seem interested in things of beauty."
He follows Illyana.
Tassier says, "Indeed, it must have been grand at one point."
"Well when and if this place is purged of the evil, maybe then they can rebuild it to it's original luster."
Britan looks around at the room.
"We best be on a lookout because those two that ran off may bring friends to come and play."
Raz sighs at Britan's remark. "By the gods I hope not. Seems like months since we've been down here and all we seem to do it fight creature after creature. What I wouldn't do for some pretty young woman and a gaming room right now."
You open the other door in the south wall. beyond it, a passage runs south for 30', turning east after 20'.
You go down there.
From the back wall, this passage runs east for 70', turning north after 60'. You recognise this passage. This is the way you went under the guidance of Gamvik/Demetrius, to confront his evil twin. There is a secret door in the middle of the south wall that you came through previously.
You continue on, though, north and then east past the trap and back into the large room where the Cynidicians sat entranced.
They are still here, sitting in a circle.
This time, though, you go to the north door (you recall that Darius and company were to the south).
Through the north door is another large room (40' X 70': 20' east, 40' west, 40' north). Nine men and women in bright costumes and fancy masks are drinking, talking and dancing in this room. It appears to be a masked ball...though there is no music. Most of them are dancing as if they had invisible partners. You hear snatches of conversation, most of which makes no sense. The people seem to be talking to themselves.
Illyana scratches her head. "Nothing down here makes any sense."
Gamvik crosses his eyes, wriggles his eyebrows, and taps his temple with his index finger--the gnomish sign for crazies.
Aldarin steps in and to the side of the door, giving the room a look around.
Raz follows Aldarin into the room, but moves to the other side of the doorway.
They ignore you.
"This is really weird, I wonder if they are just imagining they are dancing with someone, or crazy, or on drugs?"
Britan moves through the door and walks over to one of the females that is not dancing and gives a slight bow.
"Excuse me malady but if I may inquire what is the Celebration for, and why some of the people are dancing by themselves?"
She glances at the cavalier.
"Silly! They're not dancing by themselves!"
"Oh. Then who are they dancing with?" asks Illyana.
"They have partners! Can't you see them?"
Britan hold out his hand as one of the dancers swings by, to touch his unseen partner.
"My apologies good sir for interrupting your dance."
Not expecting anything to happen, he is not surprised when his hand passes through air.
After a few seconds he mimics the motions and then turns and goes back to the group.
"Yep, they're out there!!"
Ayazin looks north, looks south, looks north, looks south again, and then a lightbulb goes on.
"Doh!" he says, "I think these people dancing in here...are actually dancing with those people back there! They are somehow dancing with the people that are in a trance. Perhaps the trance-people are projecting themselves into these folks' minds, or are using some sort of spell. Perhaps they are somehow partly in the astral, or ethereal. But of course, the question is why? Why not dance with one's body? Is that somehow impossible, dangerous, or against their strange religion?"
Ayazin scratches his beard and ponders.
"I dunno. I just want to know what we're going to do about it," says Illyana, follwing Britan back to the door.
Farad shakes his head. "No, I think they are simply in some sort of trance state... Perhaps this Zargon is a god of dreams."
You depart then, leaving the dancers to their dancing.
Recalling an unexplored door to the south when you were being led around by the possessed gnome, you head back out into the passage, past the crushing wall trap and down to the secret door. Opening it, you proceed down the passage to the south, past the intersection that leads back to the 4-way intersection/pit trap, and on south for 30' to the mystery door. Gamvik listens, hears nothing, and so you open the door.
Beyond is a large room (50' X 50': 20' east, 20' west, 50' south). This place seems to be oddly damp. A strange moist odour fills the air. The room contains a low bed, some wooden shelves and a small chest. The contents of the room seem to shimmer, as if seen through clear water or a thick pane of glass.
Suddenly the shimmering seems to shift towards you, and you realise that you have been viewing the room through a...gelatinous cube.
Ayazin and Farad are surprised, as it lunges at Britan, striking him for 6 hit points.
"Hey, that stung."
Britan attacks the gelatinous cube with longsword.
"See how you like if you Jello Jiggler."
His sword slices deeply into the 'cube.
Aldarin moves in to attack with flaming sword, "Someone help Britan, do not let the creature engulf him."
Farad fumbles for his sword as he slowly recovers from his surprise.
"Everyone get back!"
Gamvik does as Raz says.
Humphrey, also recovering from silence, follows Raz's order. "Ok, I'll stay here. I wonder what would we have seen had we looked through one of those masks the dancers were dancing with?"
Ayazin says, "What? Why is everyone so upset all of a sudden? What do you mean get back, back from what? I don't see anything!"
Sharone, recovering from her silence, decides not to attack the cube. Instead she explains to Farad and Ayazin that the room has a gelatinous cube in it.
Raz steps back and launches one magic missle spell into the cube, blowing it to pieces.
Farad frowns. "Of course its a gelatinous cube. We've seen them before. It just startled me is all."
Showing complete confidence in her companions, Sharone collects some pieces of the cube in a bottle once it is stopped, being careful not to get any of the jelly on herself.
You move in and search the room. There is nothing of value in here. Indeed, when you touch the furnishings they fall to pieces...rotten.
So, you return to the large temple chamber to pick another route to explore. There remain two doors (east and west walls), and the passage running north.
After wiping his bloody nose that the gelatinous cube gave him, Britan says, "Well what's ya say we go east?"
Humphrey agrees.
"East it is."
He goes to the door and opens it.
"This place is really getting weird. I think Raz hit it on the nose. A good bar with some nice wenches and we would be all set."
Kelar follows Humphrey through the east door.
The east door opens to reveal a long passage running...east, for 60' and on. In the last 10' section of the north wall is a passage running...north.
You head down to this intersection and take a look.
Past the intersection, the eastbound passage runs for 60' and on into darkness. In the last 10' section of the north wall is a door.
To the north, this new passage runs for 60', turning west after 50'.
Farad quickly heals anyone who is wounded.
"Well boys and girls I say we take the door down the eastern passage. That way we eliminate any possible threat to our backs."
Sharone looks at Britan " Sounds like a good idea to me. Let's go."
"Works for me. Just make sure we don't end up walking in circles. I don't know if my boots can take it," adds Kelar.
Reaching the door, you see that the east passage ends 10' past it.
Gamvik listens, hears nothing, and so Britan and Humphrey open it.
Beyond is a good-sized room (40' X 50': 10' east, 20' west, 50' north). It almost seems as if Raz's and Kelar's wishes have been answered, for this room is lined with racks of wine bottles. Along the west wall are large casks and barrels. Several casks have been smashed open and their contents drained.
Suddenly, from behind a stack of barrels, a huge bear-like creature with the head of a giant owl appears and staggers towards you. It is clearly mad, and clearly drunk.
Gamvik is careful to stay out of its way.
Aldarin mumbles a few arcane words, directing the creature, "Sleep, my furry friend..."
Gamvik falls over, snoring stentoriously. The owlbear is not affected.
Ayazin shouts, "Abomination! Foul creature of misshapen magics! Die!"
He attacks the owlbear with his scimitar.
Raz shouts, "No..wait..don't!" but realizes that he is too late to stop the zealous druid. Obviously not happy with the situation he keeps out of range of the creature and holds off casting any spells for now.
Illyana scratches her head. "Whatever."
Humphrey sighs.
"Good grief," and he uses his swords to help put the owlbear out of it's misery.
Farad likewise draws his sword and helps in the attack.
Moving over by Raz, Kelar comments with a smile, "Gee I don't know if I want to watch and see this thing get obliterated by Ayazin, or to check out the drink."
He keeps an eye out for any other things drunk or otherwise.
"I think that thing may have significant intelligence...we could have dealt with this situation differently."
Raz then pauses for a moment and looks about the room. "Checking out the drink may not be a bad idea either, Kelar."
With a grin Raz pats Kelar on his back. "I like the way you think."
Ayazin, Humphrey and Farad surround the drunken owlbear. Britan nudges Gamvik's prone form. The gnome awakens, feeling refreshed after his 40 winks.
The owlbear slaps at Ayazin, but the druid is not quite where the monster thought he was, so he misses. Ayazin pokes at him with his scimitar, and draws blood. The owlbear lashes out at him again, and this time Ayazin takes 1 hit point of damage.
Humphrey attacks a flank, opening up two enormous wounds. The owlbear's entrails bulge out.
It is Farad who lands the killing blow, however, toppling the monster over into a bloody heap.
The owlbear out of the way, you search the chamber. In here, you find 400 bottles of wine which you judge to be of some value...unless you drink it all first.
Departing the chamber, you head back to the passage running north and go that way. You reach the corner and look west. It runs in that direction for 60' from the corner and on.
You head down there.
Before you, the passage turns south.
You look around the corner. The passage only runs another 10', then ends at a door.
You go to the door, Gamvik listens, hears nothing, and so you open it.
Revealed is another room (30' X 30': 10' east, 10' west, 30' south). The entire room consists of a large sunken pool filled with a bubbling liquid. In the centre of the room is a box made of stone slabs. The lid of the box is about a foot above the surface of the liquid and is locked with a large iron padlock.
Ayazin examines the bubbling liquid. It does not smell, or give off heat.
It is clear, like water.
"Can we get the box out of that stuff?" wonders Illyana.
Farad grins. "I believe that is exactly the problem that we will need to try and solve."
Farad quickly gazes away... looking at something, perhaps the future...
Farad focuses back onto the present. "Not only is the water a danger. Probably some sort of poison or acid or perhaps something in the water is dangerous. But also the chest itself is probably trapped, for I looked into the future and saw danger ahead even if one flew above the water to retrieve the chest."
Farad looks about. Anyone here have a long staff or 10' pole? "Let's see if we can find out how deep the pool is. Perhaps one of us could wade across if whatever this is is mild enough not to instantly kill us."
"I have a quarterstaff. I suggest that everyone camp outside while one person fiddles with the chest. The whole room could come down on us."
The others retreat outside, while Illyana and Farad dip the pole into the liquid. They hit bottom at around 6'. However, the liquid starts to bubble more violently, and when they take the pole out, they see that it is slowly dissolving...
Aldarin calls in, "Given some time, I could cast a levitate and perhaps cause it to rise out of the liquid. If anyone's interested in that approach."
Humphrey says, looking at the puzzle, "If someone was good with a lasso or a grappling hook, then once it was levitated, we could try to hook and bring it this way."
"I think we should just consider leaving this alone. It is obviously a trap of some sort and we have more then enough money already," comments Raz.
Gamvik perks up at the mention of a trap, and he strains his eyes looking at the walls and ceiling for anything out of the ordinary. He sees nothing unusual, other than what has been already described.
"I wonder how that box is trapped?" he muses. "Lever action? Maybe it sinks. Or possibly an explosion?"
Britan says, "I kind of have to go with Raz on this one. Farad did say he say danger even if someone was to fly over the box and they would basically be all by themselves while out there."
Kelar begs to differ.
"I would have to disagree with Raz myself. You can never have enough money. But along with that thought if you levitate the box it could be a pressure plate...and that would be all she wrote for us. Why don't we come back to this? We might learn something later on that can help us with this."
"If we can get the box out of the room without being in the room, then I say we try it. Otherwise we leave the damned thing alone. Oh yeah. Does anyone want to try and detect any magic? Can you do that inside the box?" asks Illyana.
"Maybe Farad can go Ethereal and see what is in the box or for that matter see if there is any thing magical inside while ethereal?" wonders Britan.
"Given a day, I could memorize unseen servant...that might help," comments Raz.
"Then we'll come back tomorrow. It isn't going anywhere," decides Illyana.
You leave, and return to the main temple hall.
From here, you still have an unopened door in the northwest corner and the 20' wide passage to the north to explore. Illyana wanted to leave the passage until last, so you open the door.
Through it, you see a 10' wide passage running west for 60' and on. In the 40' - 50' section of the south wall, a passage runs south.
You go down there. Looking south, you see that this new passage heads that way for 60' and on. To the west, this passage runs for 60' and on, from the intersection.
And finally, Ayazin notices a secret door, in the north wall of the intersection.
Of course, you do the secret door first.
It opens to reveal a passage running north, for 40'. It turns east after 30'.
You head up there.
To the east, the passage only runs for 20' before it ends at a door.
You move up and Gamvik listens. He hears nothing, so you open the door.
Through the door ia a large room (40' X 50': 20' north, 20' south, 40' east). Four humans wearing stylized rat masks and red robes trimmed with rat fur leap to their feet and look at you. In the northeast corner of the room are stairs going down.
Britan tightens his grip on his sword and prepares to attack if attacked first but tries not to look aggressive. He leaves the talking up to the people in front.
Aldarin stands ready to release a Hypnotic Pattern spell if any aggressive moves are made by the rat-men.
Farad readies his sword, but waits since they don't attack.
Humphrey, looking at the rat masks, wonders, "Why would people want to look like rodents?"
His swords are ready in case they attack.
Raz steps back out around the corner of the door and waits for a few seconds to see how things unfold. "If they're magic users we could be in trouble."
"Go away!" hisses one of them.
"We mean you no harm," replies Raz diplomatically, from around the corner. "My friends and I are just passing through."
"Well pass through somewhere else!"
"Fine," says Raz, slowly backing up even farther.
"I don't want to be offensive or anything, but who are you?" asks Illyana.
They draw their swords and start edging towards the stairs.
"Who's asking?"
Raz continues to back away. "This is not a good idea," he says to the men, "You're just going to end up dead if you don't put those weapons down."
"Don't threaten us..." says one.
"I'm not threatening you, just stating a fact. After all you're the ones with your weapons drawn," replies Raz calmly.
"Please gentlemen put the swords up. We really just want to pass through. We don't want to kill anyone. We just want to continue exploring with as little bloodshed as possible, but mind you we will defend ourselves and prevail also."
Britan tightens his grip on his sword and readies his shield.
Suddenly they turn and run downstairs.
Illyana stops in the middle of her reply. "Well, now. So much for that."
She pauses. "Weren't they just a little too paranoid?"
"With our luck their going to fetch reinforcements," says Raz sourly.
"I agree with our luck they are going to get help. But do we want to take them on now or have them catch up to us. I say we wait awhile and then continue on. We leave the stairs for later," says Kelar.
Britan just shakes his head, then says to Illyana, "A little paranoid? They were down right terrified, but like Raz said with our luck they've gone to find some friends, and find us later."
Farad shakes his head. "They may be getting reinforcements, or they may simply be wise and know when they are outmatched. Either way though we should follow up. We don't know if they are a menace or not, and I'd not like to leave someone alive down here that preys on innocent passerbys not armed to the hilt as we are."
The grey elf puts his fingers to his lips. "I propose an experiment. A cleric should try and cast a locate object spell, searching for one of those fox masks. The rest of us can hide ourselves using invisibility and silence, and follow the cleric to meet them. If they are harmless, they shouldn't attack the lone adventurer unprovoked. But if they are a menace and attack lone people, all of us can then attack and kill them."
Farad looks up. "This will take a day or two's work, as us magicians will need to enspell everyone to an invisible state, but I think its worth attempting. Perhaps we should head back up to the surface now. After all, it is about time to meet with our sponsor and check in. It's been a couple of days since we last saw him."
Ayazin agrees. "An excellent suggestion. We have been down here many days and it would do my heart good to see the sky again."
You make the long trek back up to the top of the pyramid, and out through the secret door.
The dry desert air seems to suck the moisture out of you, when you step outside. The temperature is only 58F, and the sky is overcast and gray. A steady wind blows out of the south.
You return to the base camp that you set up with Malbar some days past. While the camp is still there and seems to have been recently inhabited, there is no sign of the lord of Furyondy. Presumably he is out exploring somewhere, so you settle down and wait.
Finally, as evening comes on, you hear a noise, and Malbar walks into the camp. He seems to be surprised and pleased to see you.
"I was beginning to wonder what had become of you!" he exclaims. "How goes the pyramid?"
Farad begins telling the man about the pyramid, including all that we have seen thus far.
As he finishes up, he adds his own conclusions, "Personally I'm rather dissappointed. The treasure we've found thus far is pretty light, and most of the creatures that inhabit the place are easily slain. Finally the current inhabitants are rather paranoid. Probably caused by their long years of isolation. I don't think you would even want to open trade with these people. Sure they have been isolated for years, and would probably spend a great deal on new items unavailable to them. But the limiting factor is their numbers. We've not seen that many people at all. Another few generations and this place will only belong to monsters I'm guessing."
"But we'll finish it up and clean it out. Things are starting to be a bit more interesting now. And there may be larger areas we've not yet seen down below."
Malbar nods.
"Yes, the stories I heard about this city exaggerated the amount of treasure to be found," he says. "I've found next to nothing so far."
He pauses.
"I'm going to stick around here for a few more days to see what else I can find. But, you don't have to if you don't want to. Didn't you say that there were troubles brewing on Earth, as well? Perhaps you might want to go home. Didn't you say you had a teleport scroll, Farad? Or was it Raz?"
Farad nods. "Yes, we have one for return. But I think we'll see what Zargon has in store down below first. Most of the upper inhabitants were fearful of his minions, so perhaps over time he's gotten most of the wealth to be had. As it is we just now are touching territory belonging to him."
"The going has been quick, and if we take as little damage as we have thus far, we should finish within a week I'm guessing, barring unexpected and sudden deaths."
Malbar smiles.
"Good! Tomorrow, then, we can resume our explorations!"
" Excuse me Malbar but you by chance didn't run across a suit of platemail or know where I can get a set close by would you? My other one kind of feel apart on me and I am stuck with this chain mail.."
"I'm sorry, Britan."
"Are we agreed on Farad's plan. I think that we should just go on down and see what we come across. I don't really want to hang out in the sun any longer than required."
"Yeah that sound great and unless something really unexpected comes up we should be able to get to the bottom of all this."
Aldarin replies, "I also agree with Farad. I believe there is still much to be accomplished here."
Sharone nods her agreement, "Good idea, I'll just need a few hours to sort myself out "
She moves in to her little tent and lights an incense burner.