Chronicles of Arcania: B/X Homebrew game.

Game Master Peet

Guys, i will post in about 6 hours.

When Ana mentions the urns are magical, Zynazyr starts to move over to them to help inspect them. Just as he starts, Wallia opens the door to the room and Ana walks away. "Okay, I guess these will wait," he thinks to himself as he grabs his Ustar in preparation.

2:20 PM, Day 4

Wallia takes one of the lights, and opens the door.

Beyond is a north-south 10' wide corridor. Like the floors above the walls are covered with plaster with a decorative trim at the top.

The corridor goes north and south beyond the reach of your torchlight. At the edge of your vision (about 30' away) to the north there is a door in the east wall, and to the south there is a door in the west wall.

The faint moaning and shuffling sounds are coming from the south, beyond the reach of your torchlight. It sounds like they are slowly getting closer.

1d6 ⇒ 4

TACTICAL MAP updated.
TIER 4 MAP updated.

What do you want to do?

* Do something about whatever creatures are to the south?
* Try to safely open the coffin?
* Return to the 3rd tier above and check the corridor to the west?
* Return to the 3rd tier above and search unexplored areas? (i.e. corridor #1)
* Return to the 3rd tier above and check unresolved things? (i.e. the mold room, the snake basket, the damp chamber)
* Return to camp?
* Something else?

...Zynazyr starts to move over to them to help inspect them.

FYI you have already spent the majority of the last turn examining them, but in that time were unable to determine their function.

"I am curious about the unexplored area to the west from passage 6, since I think that the most likely path to the stairs.
I am also increasingly intrigued by the snake basket and the damp room. A room hidden by secret doors on both sides may have something of value, perhaps within or beneath the snake basket. If we reach the end of our day with the Sleep spells left, we may be able to investigate the basket without killing the snakes (as Ana pointed out, there are uses for a basket of snakes).
And while the pressure plate in the floor there is almost certainly a trap, the dampness of the room suggests it could be a water trap. So if all other inquiries fail, it may be worth setting it off in a careful manner (like dragging a crate of stones across it with a rope from a safe distance).
I am less comfortable with opening the coffin, but I know Walia wanted to do that."
Did we take the meat back to camp while the casters were doing another turn in the crypt? Or are we still carrying it around?

You took the Lizard meat back but you still have the bat meat with you.

Can I preemptively try to turn undead on the coffin, before we open it?

Closes the door upon hearing the sounds, I like Brathas ideas.. we need water, coffins don't have water.

Walia says, "Well, it was worth 20 seconds of our time to see if we could circumvent all of those steps. I agree we need to get water and I am not particularly thrilled about being beholden to those Magifolks, as it were. However they might could have money which can be traded for goods and services."

He then puts his right palm on the lid of the coffin and the left on his temple and says the prayer to banish evil undead spirits.

"Hanelll nathrack, hispontifath, hurrelldienbay!" starting at a whisper, slowly becoming louder and louder till.......

Ana takes up a position beside the sarcophagus, ready to strike with her axe if the situation calls for such.

Ferrous comes lumbering down the ramp into the room where the party is spread out. He is grinning and holding over his shoulder a bat carcass.
Hey I told you to wait a two minutes but I suppose a dwarf counts more slowly when running after a bat. I would have been back sooner but I kept tripping over my beard. I fear I may need to trim the beard back to a respectable length it has really gotten quite ridiculously long.
He throws his beard over his other shoulder as he says this.
Aye so what trouble have ye gotten into while I was gone?
His eyes go wide as he sees the Cleric about to open the coffin and Ana brandishing her axe. He tightens the grip on his own axe and moves to the opposite side of the coffin.

Brathas stays well back from the coffin. He takes his torch back from Walia, holds that in one hand with the other on the rope.

Wallia shuts the door to the hallway and returns to the sarcophagus.

No, you can't pre-emptively turn an undead in a sealed container, but you can make a readied action to turn the creature once the lid is open. This (if successful) would force the creature to return to the coffin and not attack, until someone attacks it.

Ana raises her axe, while Wallia begins to chant. As soon as he places his hand on the lid of the coffin,

BOING!!!

Something round and about 8" wide shoots straight up out of the coffin! It is a human head!

No, wait. It is a wooden ball painted like a head, with a grinning clown face. It wears a floppy jester's hat and a purple and green bird mask. It bounces on the end of a long metal spring.

Zynazyr realizes that the magic signature he detected coming from the coffin is coming from the mask worn by the "head."

2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

Zynazyr and Ana both realize that this object is a mask of the parakeet.

So... who wants the mask? Ana, Brathas, and Zynazyr can all use it.

What do you want to do?

* Do something about whatever creatures are in the hallway to the south?
* Return to the 3rd tier above and check the corridor to the west?
* Return to the 3rd tier above and search unexplored areas? (i.e. corridor #1)
* Return to the 3rd tier above and check unresolved things? (i.e. the mold room, the snake basket, the damp chamber)
* Return to camp?
* Something else?

When the springy head pops out of the coffin. Ferrous had to stop his swing in mid action.
Seems harmless enough but why? Ferrous scratches his beard and muses to himself before saying Well there was more upstairs to explore but did you all search this room completely yet?

Ferrous is slight vote for going back up to 3rd floor and finishing the exploration there. And camping before going down to the 4th floor.

Brathas agrees with Ferrous on both counts. Finish 3, and rest before starting 4.
The scout jumps at the jack-in-the-box, then is visibly relieved.
"A final jest for the jester. Clever. I suppose the mask may serve us well."
Brathas examines the inside of the coffin for a false bottom or hidden compartment.
How big are the urns? Can we take them back with us?
"As Fistep said some time ago, we need to get this bat meat back to camp. Is there anybody we trust enough to watch over it and ration it out as necessary? Perhaps that Amazon, or that shaman?"

Brathas examines the inside of the coffin for a false bottom or hidden compartment.

A quick search reveals a rather obvious false bottom in the coffin. Underneath is a small porcelain urn which contains ashes.

How big are the urns? Can we take them back with us?

The brass urns are about 2' high and 1' wide, with handles. They are a little bulky but can be carried fairly easily. This will take up a free hand, but if combat ensues you can just drop them in order to draw a weapon.

"Is there anybody we trust enough to watch over it and ration it out as necessary? Perhaps that Amazon, or that shaman?"

Unless you are telling the NPCs not to have any while you have lots to eat this will not be an issue. If you plan on letting them starve then you probably shouldn't leave your food there.

As a player, I want to explore everything but roleplaying a friar who is trying to find water or means to pay for water makes me wonder.

Walia says, "Alright, we should each eat enough to be sated and drink enough to quench our thirst. The campers should remain on half rations and water for they aren't exerting themselves."

I'd put more faith in the amazon... shamans, and priests, seem to lack any sort of wisdom it seems he says looking over at the cleric briefly.

Walks back over to the slide, and walks his way back up using the rope after having slung his shield over his back and sheathed his sword.

I agree with Ferrous and Brathas.

Walia says, "My son, the key attribute of a priest is faith. Faith is what keeps one in tune with the gods." as he waits his turn to climb up the ramp.

Could one tie the urns to a backpack, instead?

BTW, guys, Ferrous' quest to Leave No Bat Behind had him head down the hall on the third tier. He found the stairs and went down a little ways before coming to his senses and turned around.

So you have a bit more information about the layout of the 3rd and 4th tier.

TIER 3 MAP updated.
TIER 4 MAP updated.

well, in that case, we should finish up tier 3 today and then rest and hit tier 4 in the morning.

2:30 PM, Day 4

1d6 ⇒ 6

Could one tie the urns to a backpack, instead?

It might be a little noisy, but yes, that works.

The party takes turns climbing the rope until the group has returned to the third tier.

What do you want to do?

* Search unexplored areas? (i.e. corridor #1)
* Check unresolved things? (i.e. the mold room, the snake basket, the damp chamber)
* Return to camp?
* Something else?

"Let's return to camp, drop off the meat, the urns, and any heavier goods, then finish this third level. Possibly the snake basket or damp room if you think that sensible.
If we want to search corridor #1, I would suggest that I go a ways ahead, because the Brotherhood does not know me. If I wear the parakeet mask, I can signal you if I need help."

Walia ties the urns to the bottom of the rope before he ascends the top of the ramp and then tries to be careful with them as he drags them up the ramp. He then ties one to his rucksack.

He then says, "I concur, Brathas, my son!"

Corridor #1, let's see what is down there before we try the other two... at least we'll have some idea if the brotherhood is still lurking about. he says.

Fistep are you suggesting that we check the corridor before returning to camp? Since it would be mainly Brathas and Wallia checking that hallway what are their thoughts?
Ferrous pauses as he waits to hear the cleric and thief's response.

Walia says, "Six of one, half dozen of the other."

The dwarf looks down puzzled and begins counting with his fingers. After about a minute of doing so and looking more and more puzzled. Empty Tankards, Wallia they're the same thing.

Brathas would prefer to bring the meat and the bulky goods to camp first, then return to corridor #1.
"Madmen are common in this pyramid, true? My plan is to scout the corridor in such a guise. As one who thinks he is a parakeet. Should the Brotherhood notice me, they will hopefully just try to shoo me away. Trying to move unnoticed would provoke suspicion if I am seen, and approaching them openly to talk... well I have the story that Montague ensorcelled you, but I don't know if they'd buy it."

Looks at the dwarf, Did you hit your head? he asks before continuing, Nay, I say we take the meat to the camp then go explore #1 and let Brathas do his thing while the rest hang back to give him some space.

Looks at Fistep. Hit me head no I think not. Then we are agreed we head back to the camp before continuing.

"We should take the food back to camp, yes. However, I want to know more about these urns before we just drop them off."

Zynazyr nods in agreement. "I agree, Ana. We don't know what the magical aura is on the urns. I don't want someone from the caravan opening one. Why don't we open them here to make sure they are safe," he says. I'm assuming we are having the conversation in the room we fought the bats.

Brathas backs away from the urns as the casters move to open them.
Warriors, traps, and beasts he can deal with.. crypt urns that trap your soul when opened are another matter. Nevertheless, he is part of this party, so he asks "Is there anything useful I can contribute here?"

"Stand ready. I don't know what we'll find inside." Ana opens her urn.

Walia afraid of blasphemy, Starts to chant loudly in prayer to his deity and tries to help his comrades.

3:20 PM, Day 4

The brass urns do not have lids. They are all clearly empty.

2:00 PM, Day 4

...(snip)

There is nothing in the brass urns in the corners of the room.

...nevertheless, Ana and Zynazyr do not want to press on without examining the urns more carefully.

11d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 4, 2, 6, 3, 4, 3, 1, 4, 6) = 40

After a turn of examination, Ana realizes that they are jars of the charlatan.

There seems to be a consensus to drop off the meat and head to passage #1. So... (returning to camp and then back will add a couple of extra turns.)

After studying the jars, the party returns to camp with the bat meat, and then proceeds to the one unexplored passage.

After a little dog-leg the passage heads south. It goes for 20 feet past the dog-leg, then narrows to a 5' width for 10 feet. It widens again and comes to a corner after another 20' feet.

There the passageway turns east, and runs for another 40 feet before ending with a door at the end of the corridor. The door is made of iron and has three lightning bolts engraved in it. When you approach within ten feet, the door begins glowing with a crackling blue light.

While the light is obviously magical, Ana and Zynazyr are unable to determine how the magic works or what it does. Brathas doesn't detect any traps on the door, but the crackling blue light doesn't make him confident of that assessment. So far nobody has physically touched the door. The door does have a keyhole.

TIER 3 MAP updated.

So... What now?

* Have Ana and Zynazyr take another turn examining the door?
* Try to open the door? If so, who will make the attempt?
* Leave the door and explore an unresolved part of this floor? (snake basket, damp room, mold room)
* Go back down to the 4th tier? (by stairs or pit trap?)
* Return to camp for the day?
* Something else?

If we put a canteen of water in the jar another would appear or would the canteen just teleport there. If the former that could double our rations and stuff.

If we put a canteen of water in the jar another would appear or would the canteen just teleport there. If the former that could double our rations and stuff.

It is essentially teleportation. The object disappears from one jar and appears in another.

Do the lightning bolts have any religious significance?

Do the lightning bolts have any religious significance?

Since the statue of Gorm on the roof of the structure is shown holding a lightning bolt, you would think yes, probably.

"Looks like the Brotherhood's base. I don't see a need to stay here longer."

Nods, I agree.. we should go to the door Ferrous found when he found the stairs and see what that room holds.

"Sounds good to me."

Walia says, "I concur"

There wasn't much there. I would suggest figuring out a way to clear the mold or Snake basket.

Hrms, well doesn't hurt to have Brathas take a look with his sharp eyes... then perhaps the snake basket?

"Happy to take a look.
Will the basket block the sleep spell? If so, we can pull the basket over on its side with rope and hook and Ana or Zynazyr can cast the spell as the snakes come out."

Set the urns far apart, and dump the contents of the basket into one?

"That could work but I am curious if there is anything of value in the basket. Why would there be a basket of snakes in a secret room?"