Play Report: Into the Black Pyramid, part 3

The evenings adventurer begins with Memi the Half-orc, Selvis the Magic-User, Vadania the Half-elf, Ravelle the Elf, and Schneider the Fighter standing outside the Black Pyramid. The band of Orcs is awaiting them, braced for blood and battle.

Memi negotiates with the orcs to return in one week’s time, blaming the men of Kota’ Yahat for the delay. Returning to the city, she, Selvis and Schneider go their separate ways. She hands off the key to the Black Pyramid to Vadania and bids them continue the curious quest.

Desiring more information on The Black Pyramid and it’s key, Vadandia and Ravelle seek the assistance of a sage among the mages called The Librarians. Here they consult with a sage named Reddin, who expresses great interest in the key. Taking a set of his own keys, he unlocks a large iron gate and leads the pair deeper into the depths of the massive library. With her eyes on the considerably sized set of keys, Vadania and Ravelle quietly discuss between one another the injustice that such great hoards of knowledge should be locked away in such a place as this. A plan is hatched for a distraction.

Reddin reveals to the two that the Black Pyramid is the crypt of a former priest within the city of Kota’ Yahat. Nearly a century ago the Priest Teoxicho of the un-templed god Etellpalli performed profane rituals that broke The Obsidian Pact. When this was discovered, he and the other priests, along with all of Etillpalli’s 3000 worshippers, were slaughtered by the Jaguar Warriors of Priest King Chalchiuhxiuitl of Ocelotl. Priest King Chalchiuhxiuitl constructed the Black Pyramid and placed the dead within, burying Teoxicho’s body was hidden deeps beneath it’s stones.

.Having the information they sought, Vadania attempts to seduce the sage Reddin while Ravelle slips away into the maze of shelves. Her advances rejected, he begins to escort her out. Reddin then realizes the clever Ravelle has departed. He is quickly discovered and the two are escorted out of the building. Placed under a curse, they are banned from the Libraries for one year’s time. Should they attempt to pass the warded walls, their skin shall be magical removed.

Returning to their current headquarters, Vadania and Ravelle are met by a half-elf who introduces himself as Sifil, a druid. He presents a piece of tree bark bearing the image of the two and claims he was sent to accompany them. Entering the inn they are halted by a human warrior by the name of Aleric and his newly acquired drinking companion, the dwarf Énnfeler.

Fuelled by rumours perpetuated by the inn’s portly proprietor, Tomas, they ask if they may join the two elf-folk and their new companion on their journey. Agreeing to this arrangement, and with a murderous glance from Vadania toward Tomas, the party presses on. Navigating the winding corridors of the necropolis toward the Black Pyramid they arrive and proceed inside.

Within they find a room containing a large altar atop three steps. In the centre of the platform atop the stairs are three human skulls, each bearing a candle. Bubbling from the floor beneath the skulls is a small fountain of blood. On the north and south wall are several statues of stone depicting winged serpents with demonic human faces.

Énnfeler the Dwarf searches the stonework of the room and discovers one of the steps to be trapped. Upon pressing the step, the eyes of the sinister statues parallel to the alter pulse with a bright, green light. With a flash, the alter is blasted with emerald flame.

.After confirming it is indeed the step that triggers the treacherous traps, Vadania boldly climbs atop the platform of the alter. As she passes into it’s centre she suddenly sees the room much differently. The heads of the statues, eyes glowing green, are turned towards her. Where her companions once were she sees tall, desiccated humanoid corpses.

Seeing she is distressed, one of her companions asks if all is well. To the eyes of Vadania the frightful corpse standing in his place lets out a shrill and foul shriek. In a panic she grabs the skulls and flees. Leaving that space she is once again in the same room with her companions, the statues’ heads no longer looking at her. From where the skulls once sat a fountain of blood begins to flow and spread across the room. As it begins to reach the statues, the party leaves and secures the door behind them.

Travelling south they are met with by several zombies. A long battle pursues. The Druid Sifil entangles one of the zombies in a mass of twisting thorns. The elf Ravelle slays two with his bow. The dwarf Énnfeler and the human warrior Aleric hack and slash with their blades. The half-elf Vadania uses her magic to have her cruel puppet spread oil upon her noxious adversaries. As Aleric falls unconscious to a zombie’s bite, Vadania tosses her lantern into the mess of now flammable foes. The burning zombies are finally felled by Énnfeler and Ravelle.

Taking a moment to raid some of the crypts nearby, the party discovers the sleeping body of a still living man. Their second such odd discovery of a slumbering soul withing the crypts of the Black Pyramid. Rescuing him from the crypt and taking some objects found within the other graves they leave and return safely to their homes.

And so the evening’s adventure is concluded.

Adventure XP:

Treasure: 750xp

Combat: x7 Zombies, 140xp

RP: 100xp

TOTAL:

Vadania: 278xp

Ravelle: 278xp

Aleric: 278xp

Énnfeler: 278xp

Sifil: 278xp

Grades: S each

- Plans hatched, weapon wielded and spells cast

- No major deviations from alignment (came close!)

- Cordiality through gritted teeth between unfriendly races

Treasure:

Cleric Scroll, 4 spells

- lvl 3 Create Food and Water

- lvl 3 Create Food and Water

- lvl 3 Remove Curse

- lvl 6 Word of Recall

4500gp (XP n/a. No cleric present)

Potion of Super Heroism

450gp, 750xp

Three candles atop 3 skulls

The skulls are fused together. The flames are inextinguishable and burn perpetually, yet hey give off no heat, and cast no light...

The man alive:

A Westman named Serles Quesnel. He recalls arriving at the Grand Port as a crewman to the* Le Ciel Royal. *He was attacked by strange creatures looked half peacock and half man. He has no memories of a Black Pyramid.