"Well its outside my known languages.. Lil you make anything of it?"
"Hmm, that's definitely Abyysal script, but it's a nonsense word. It's like me writing down 'Htu' in common."
"Maybe it's a command word for something magic?"
Although Argan thinks it might be a bomb or something like that, he steps away from the magic word, to guarantee it.
Argan quickly searches the place and finds nothing out of the ordinary outside the inscription at the throne. Lil can read it, but it does not mean anything. Is it a clue, maybe? Kharn with his deep magic knowledge, suggest it may be a command word or something while Vlad only sulks because he can’t read it.
Argan tries speaking it aloud before moving forward to the other rooms.
The word rings and echo on the empty walls of the temple and... nothing happens.
Moving forward, the passage from the temple leads into the lower courtward .
This large courtyard was once the central gathering place for the guards and servants who served the priests in the levels above. The courtyard buzzed with activity day and night. But those days are long gone. Now the place is empty, silent and dark.
The only hint of former glories is a magic fountain that still produces fresh water. The fountain’s centerpiece is carved in the form of Charon on his skiff. When water is needed the skeletal figure bleeds water like blood into the basin below. The great basin of the pool holds a hundred gallons of water and when it is depleted the basin is replenished at the rate of one gallon a round. Despite the fountain’s sinister appearance and the fact it was created by a pestilence-worshipping daemonic death cult, the water is clean, fresh and potable. The fountain is part of the floor of this room and cannot be removed.
The fountain sheds moderate transmutation magic.
There are several doors in the place.
Argan points to the southeastern doors (the one to the right) and opens it whether the others are examining the fountain or not.
Argan opens the door which leads to a wrecked room that maybe once housed a dozen servants of the temple . Now it is full of broken bunks and moldering personal effects. There is nothing of value here.
Frustrated with the place emptiness, he opens the next door… which leads to what appears to once have been the lower quarters of the temple acolytes . Their quarters are now just as ransacked and abandoned as anywhere else.
Angrier still, he goes from door to door opening everything.
There’s another one that seems to be quarters from the acolytes, ransacked and aboandoned .
There is one thing in this room that is remarkable and it can be found if the room is searched – Brother Trask’s journal.
One of the acolytes, Brother Zander Trask, kept a journal. The journal is frankly rather dull and poorly written.
Trask was no great thinker and mostly it is a repetitive and boring record of the day to day drudgery of being a lowly acolyte of the temple. If carefully read and studied for three hours though three interesting facts can be gleaned.
1. Trask believed there to be something unusual about the south eastern pillar in the lower temple (room 1-27). He suspected it was hollow and had a secret door into it. (Note: There is no secret door on the first floor. But he was correct about it being hollow.)
2. Trask knew by rumor that two powerful daemons named Hexor and Vexor guarded the upper levels. He didn’t know precisely where they were stationed, but he desperately wanted to get a look at them some day.
3. Trask had seen a priest (who thought no one was present) sit upon the throne and mysteriously vanish. He didn’t know where the priest went but thought it very interesting.
Other than the lost journal, there is nothing of any interest or value here.
The next door leads to… Another wrecked room where soldiers once were quartered .
Following the same direction, the next chamber… This wrecked room once housed a dozen servants of the temple. Now it is full of broken bunks and moldering personal effects.
The following however, was kinda different. This was once a tavern used to keep their guards and servants content. The tavern is actually not in terrible shape for a building that has been abandoned for eighty years. When the attack came, this place was abandoned by the guard so no battle was fought here. The Victor’s men did ransack it for all its gold, food and ale, but still it remains in passable shape if it was merely cleaned and restocked.
There is a fireplace in this part of the tavern that actually has a small vent that opens in the side of the Horn. This vent, though covered by a small metal grate, is actually another (very difficult and dangerous) way in. If someone climbed two hundred feet (Climb skill checks DC 15) and pried off the grate (Strength check DC 12), they could climb down the flue and into the fireplace. Only medium sized are smaller individuals could fit through these tight spaces.
The next room is just one more wrecked room that once housed a dozen stonecutters who labored tirelessly in this wicked place. Now it is full of broken bunks and moldering personal effects.
The other door, near the fountain, leads to a ransacked room which once quartered a dozen temple guards (with their officer enjoying the privacy of 1-6). When the temple fell, this room was ransacked and for the last eighty years it has changed little since that time besides gaining a coat of dust and countless cobwebs. There is nothing of great value here, but with a little work and some new bedding, this room could again comfortably quarter a dozen men.
There are three doors in this room.
The first one to right of anyone entering the place, leads to a room that was once the quarters of a temple guard captain. This chamber gave him some privacy yet kept him close to his men. Now there is little evidence of this room’s original purpose. There is nothing here but ash, blast marks and few burned bits of refuse.
A fireball or some other equally disastrous spell went off here eighty years ago as the Victor’s retinue stormed the Horn. The blast annihilated a small group of acolytes taking refuge here. Now eighty years later, only barely identifiable shards of bone and ash remain in this blasted room to mark their demise.
The next door, following the other, leads to another empty guardroom adorned only by an L-shaped stone bench in the southwestern corner , and from there a door which leads to a room once that held many months of provisions for the residents of the Horn, if perchance their temple was ever besieged. When the attack upon the Horn came, it happened so quickly no such stocks were needed. A temple guardian, a minotaur, retreated in here during the Victor’s assault and fought to the last. This minotaur had the honor of being impaled by the Victor himself using a spear taken from a fallen comrade. So powerful was the Victor’s strike that the minotaur was pinned to the floor. There he remains to this day (location A), looking as if he died yesterday. He bears upon his arm a tattoo of a white horse skull with three burning green eyes.
This is the symbol of the servants ofVetra-Kali.
As far as provisions, this room is empty, with anything not claimed by the Victor’s men long ago stolen.
However, a faint aura of transmutation magic does remain. Any food or drink stored here will not spoil. It is this magical effect that explains why the minotaur’s corpse is in such excellent condition.
The last door in the first floor, leads to a room that once eight temple guards were quartered. Now it remains ransacked, tossed into disarray and left to cobwebs.
There is actually a small coin purse that was missed in the ransack. It holds 31 gp and an elixir of truth.
Othewise the room is unremarkable.
Argan picks up a jornal among the mess on room I-13. "This must have some useful information, I hope. Let's keep finding everything and then we can stop and read or study everything at once."
"Hey, money!" He picks up the small amount and stores it, addressing the others regarding the minoutaur's body. "How the heck is that body in such a preserved state?"
Vlad inspects the book.. "very interesting.. We'll have to check that stuff out.. I bet saying that word while sitting in the chair is what makes you vanish. We have a lot of work to do to fix this place up, but it should be very nice once complete. We'll need hire some help I think.."
Once the group finish exploring the place, what is their next action? Give a full search or head to the next level?
Head to the next level. Then we full search the whole place, but finding things like the notebook is important and easier for our goals.
Tally HO!
Exploring time!
The group decides to explore the second floor. For that, they must first exit the first one and then moves to the next, climbing another set of stairs.
The entryway to the second level is accessible via a small winding stairway that hugs the side of the Horn. This small stairway rises almost two hundred feet and is covered in places with thick ropy vines. The entire stair way counts as difficult terrain. Once you arrive at the aperture, you are confronted with a forty foot long entryway that should be a death trap. Between the arrow slits (six on the right, six on the left), the pit trap and the half-wall at the corridor’s end, this should be a true defensive hard point of the Horn. Now, it is anything but. No one mans this defensive hallway. The once concealed pit trap is open and obvious, a twenty foot wide chasm with a wooden plank put across it by one of the more adventurous boggards who once ventured up here.
The pit trap falls in room 1-23 below.
"Do you think that plank is safe?"
Argan will take a better look to try to reset the pit trap, making it safe for them to cross. Of course he could jump it easily, but there are some heavy weights on their team that couldn't. He looks at Vlad.
Kharn examines the plank and the surrounding area to see if he can make anything that could be used to allow the less dexterous party members get across the chasm.
Maybe you can work something else to cover the place and allow you to cross, however, resetting the trap it’s impossible since the metal cover isn’t there. You remember something similar down the caverns where the boggard lives.
One more apt to jumping, could jump to the other side with a rope and help the others cross. It’ll take some time, but it can be done.
"Let's take a look on what's on the other side, then."
Arms jumps the chasm with relative ease, and takes look at the other side, drawing his sabres as if certainly expecting trouble.
"Alright now frog man throw us a rope."
"Shhhh, I hear something!"
Maurren Maggi take a running start and jumps easily over the chasm while ordering the others into silence, but there nothing to hear nor anyone to greet them.
With some time, patience and almost falling over the trap situations, the knot manages to pass into the other side.
The passage opens into very long corridor, with several one other passage to north and several doors, following it leads into a large courtyard with its forty foot tall dome was once a center of social life here in the Horn. The deathpriests of old would gather to debate the philosophical intricacies of pestilence, all the while plotting to unleash yet more virulent horrors upon the world. Those days are now long past. The only hint of this once powerful wicked society is the candelabra of three continual flame spells that burn an undying eerie green at the apex of the dome.
There is a magic fountain here that produces fresh water (it possesses a moderate transmutation aura). The fountain’s centerpiece is carved in the form of a trio of exultant hydrodaemons that vomit forth the water into the basin below. The great basin of the pool holds a hundred gallons of water and when it is depleted the basin is replenished at the rate of one gallon a round. Despite the fountain’s sinister appearance and the fact it was created by a disease-loving daemonic death cult, the water is clean, fresh and potable. The fountain is part of the floor of this room and cannot be removed.
The passage north, leads into a hall of murals. This long L-shaped corridor extends almost 220 feet. Every ten feet is a new mural carved in larger than life detail. Together these murals depict a detailed history of the Sons of the Pale Horseman. Some of the murals have been defaced, but there is simply so much adornment throughout the Horn that after a while the knights in the Victor’s service simply could not deface it all. They instead contented themselves with annihilating its defenders.
Someone with a working knowledge of the Abyssal tongue and with patience could catalogue every major event in the Sons’ history -- from their founding in a distant land, their expulsion, their search for a new home, their building of the Horn, the summoning of Vetra-Kali and then the many years of serving the daemon prince. It is actually an epic tale (though doubtless aggrandizing of the sons).
Anyone who takes the time to carefully read the murals will realize that there are detailed rituals described here. Transcribing them into useable forms is time consuming.
For every two
"We'll have to come back to that. Man do we have alot to do around here. We need minions for sure.."
Argan observes everything in awe. "You know, I'm starting to worry about that too Vlad. I mean, of course we are at war, but the kind of stuff we're doing doesn't necessarily mean we need to put up a sign at the front door saying 'here live the bad guys'. Of course, we just have the slightest idea of what is gonna happen when we try to break the seal, but maybe we should try to keep our operations at a minimum level? It's just an idea I've been thinking about. Do we really need a huge place like this?"
"The seal is here.. We must make the prayers daily and the sacrifices here.. Way I see it this will be our home till the ritual is complete. Might as well get the fortifications back up to spec in case this place is found out again. I sure as hell aint doing all that work myself so we need minions. Perhaps we can have Elise starting recruiting back in Farholde.."
The party gather in the long and abandoned hallway of murals, to discuss about future plans and stratagems. There are still several places to search and to look, several doors at the second floor, and there’s still the third floor to check as well.
"Recruiting in Farhold... That sounds like a bad idea, but well, our recruits need to come from somewhere, right?"
Argan will lead the party back to the double doors to open them.
This is the smaller of the two temples (see 1-27) but is by far the grander. Six stately pillars rise to high vaulted ceilings. Images of winged carrion birds circle high above set into the stonework. Stunningly beautiful, intricate murals cover every inch of the walls and floor of this place. At first glance, the murals appear quite lovely showing vast armies of supplicants, each exquisitely rendered in bas relief, walking arms outspread towards some unseen goal.
Only as you progress towards the throne and the eastern wall does the message of the murals becomes clear. The figures become more and more emaciated, worn and diseased. Around the throne can be seen cackling daemons herding them like sheep. Nearer the wall they are no longer supplicants but instead shambling undead marching in great legions. And on the eastern walls is the supplicant’s destination -- a throne carved in the likeness of a great skull and above it reads (in abyssal) “Lead the flock into the arms of blessed Death.”
If the throne (A) is searched carefully there is another easy to miss inscription here -- “Rah.”
This empty guard room connects to the Temple of the Priests (2-20) by the only obvious door. It is otherwise empty.
There’s a secret passage that leads to the entrance.
Argan starts to get bored of so many different things they cannot use right now. He doesn't even pay the proper attention to the details, and unless somebody says something he's gonna go to the next room.
- C2 – Acid 100 vials worth of acid (1000 gp worth/ Can sell only 250gp on Farhold)
- C9:E – 22 gp, a small garnet worth 50 gp and a clamor box (see the Advanced Player’s Guide)
- C9:G - two large chunks of flawed but valuable amethyst worth 150 gp and 220 gp respectively; a fossilized mammoth ivory tusk worth 500 gp; and a helm of comprehend languages and read magic.
- C13 - exquisite emerald worth at least 20,000 gp
- C23 - 2300 gp in mixed coinage stolen from countless travelers murdered by the bane-wogs. Mixed with the coins are a small bag of shiny jewelry and lumps of raw turquoise. The contents of the bag is worth another 1200 gp.
- 1.7 - 31 gp and an elixir of truth.
- 1.18 - three ounces of stone salve.
- 1.21 – a ring clearly intended for a very small finger, has a tiny inscription ‘IoG’ beside an ornate rose. It is worth 5 gp for its delicate craftsmanship.
- 1.21 Secret stash at E.Nigma: 55 pp, a ruby worth 350 gp, and a set of manacles of cooperation.
- 2.4 - a small scrap of half-legible paper written in abyssal. It reads: “Evacuate now...get to the throne...upper levels lost... stairs a deathtrap...only way out...Yah.”
- 2.7 Description: there is one extra stone head.
- This impressive oak four-poster bed is a mammoth piece of wood and a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is worth 2500 gp but getting it out of the Horn back to Farholde would be a great labor.
- 2.18 A Shrine consecrated to Mitra
- 2.19 - broken, headless statue. A detect magic reveals that the statue’s belt pouch detects strong evocation magic.
Second floor: 2-18:
Little more than a plain wooden table where many candles have burned down to nubs, there is also the drawn image of the sun on the wall. An inscription has been carved below that reading “Mitra lucet omnibus, Mitra omnia regit” – “Mitra shines on everyone, Mitra rules everything.”
Desecrating the shrine is not difficult.
The cleric spell desecrates, plus defacing the shrine and offering a living sacrifice to Asmodeus or any other evil deity here (an animal will suffice) ends the impending effect.
Vlad takes one ounce of the stone salve and tucks it away.. "I have a few suggestions. I think firstly we should find out what that invisible creature is in the basement. If we can control it it could prove very useful with that ability. Second I suggest we should have our froggy neighbors start cleaning up the place until we can gather more troops for the cause. Lastly if we're gonna be coming and going we need to rid ourselves of that pesky tree. Perhaps we can all go invisible and surprise the thing and chop it down before it can retaliate.. Thoughts?"
And for Asmodeus's sake lets get rid of this dam Mitran holy s*@~ cast everywhere.."
"I don't see a problem with any of that. Let's go see what this invisible creature is."
Emerald (eye)
75 vials of acid
Helm of comprehend languages and read magic
Elixer of truth
Three ounces stone salve
Manacles of cooperation
"Well first lets go visit this Wraith and see if we can make friends.."
Lil, the magic on the statue seems to be 'inside' the stone belt; also, it isn't hard to notice the headless statue is someone turned to stone because of a magic effect.
While Vlad complains about the shrine, and Argan disappears as a good Brazilian he is , Kharn support the idea of discovering what the invisible creature is.
"We need to find something living to sacrifice on the altar he and then Seth needs to Desecrate the area while its defaced.. Do those things and the Holyness of the area will be broken.. Until we find such a creature to sacrfice why don't we go and meet this ghost or whatever it is. If it was loyal to the cult here than perhaps we can side with it."
Looking the the statue Lil is looking over.. "Won't that stone salve turn that back to flesh? The magic you see is probably an item the person carried when he gained his unfortunate position.."
"Ooh, you're right Vlad! Let's make sure everybody is there so we can give him a warm welcome."
"Considering its headless it probably wont say much.." Vlad uses one of the stone salve doses on the statue..
Kharn will be ready in case the statue attacks after having the stone salve placed on it.
The headless statue, once you apply the Salve turns into a headless dead man. The body spams and contorts for some seconds before lying dead on the floor. It’s apparent the man wasn’t dead when he was turned to stone.
The dead body, used a banded mail and a masterwork whip. Inside the belt pouch, another emerald, much like the same one you found in the caves.
The emerald does… nothing. It sheds a strong aura, but something is missing. Maybe there’s another step to activate it’s power.
The emerald is worth, at least 20000gp.
[ooc}+2 to each for someones roll. Prob Lil[/ooc]
"Nice! A matching set.. Now lets go see about the ghostly fella.." Vlad moves off towards the area the ghost or w/e is suppose to be.
As ornate and baroque as the entryway hall is it pales before this expansive and vaulted chamber. This is the Horn’s third temple -- reserved only for the High Priest and his elite retinue. Most of the Sons of the Pale Horseman never entered this temple and never experienced the strange rites conducted within. The fane is adorned with a riot of lurid color. Brilliant bas reliefs depict daemons of every sort engaged in countless acts of wanton evil, callous destruction and inhuman savagery. Rows of pews allow a congregation of the chosen to gather. The podium is doubtless where foul sermons of Abaddon’s wisdom and bile were delivered to those gatherings.
At the front of the chamber are four shrines:
A white shrine decorated with bas relief depictions of open pits of the dead and lepers crying in anguish.
A shrine of red stone decorated with cruel iron weaponry and scenes of slaughter.
A shrine of black stone decorated with images of mortals wasting away from hunger and starvation.
A shrine of pale green stone adorned with a skull with two coins over its eyes and an inscription of jagged abyssal writing which reads “Behold a pale horse. Its rider is Death and all shall follow him.”
A large bas-relief image of Vetra-Kali sitting cross-legged holding his greatest work, his masterpiece, a vial of some sort. Below the vial is inscribed a name ‘The Tears of Achlys.’ Vetra-Kali also holds three blades and a strange jagged key with an Abyssal inscription “Hail Vetra-Kali”. The three eyed daemon prince pays homage to the four shrines, but there is no doubt that this fane is built primarily to honor him.
On all the other walls are litanies of the deeds of this monster. It was Vetra-Kali who crossed the great void and came to the prime material plane to establish the Sons of the Pale Horseman. It was he who oversaw the construction of the Horn of Abaddon and it is because of this that the Horn superficially resembles this horror from another world.
As the party opens the door and enters the place, step inside to explore, an eerie voice greets you ”Ah, it has been long since my last meal. It’s a shame that the Elf escaped me, only to die at the daemons hands. The Phlegethian Knot, were they called? Shame I only learned of their intentions after consuming them.” a pauses while in the middle of the room a strange large mass of swirling shadows gather ”Who are you? Another meal perhaps?”
You know the its undead plus incorporeal traits.
Seth raises his hands slowly. "We are not here to fight, and we do not want you to have the same regret twice. Allow us to speak before you slaughter us."
Lil mumbles that it's a huge wraith, an incorporeal undead, but otherwise keeps her silence.
”If you have time to plead, you should have already started talking.” the eerie voice answers Seth attempts at conversation.
The air around begins to feel heavier as other shadows starts to materialize inside the room as well.
”I grow tired and hungry. Tell me why I shouldn’t eat you?”
"A fair point." Seth acknowledges with a shrug. "You said it was a shame to have killed them after learning their intentions. What if I told you we have the same intentions?"